340,000 Euro Worth of Bitcoin Seized in German Darknet Bust

Arrests and dope on the table, boys!

https://anonimage.net/view/small/nSgVU8eW2n.jpg

http://www.newsbtc.com/2016/08/16/340000-euro-worth-bitcoin-seized-darknet-bust/

German police officials have arrested four individuals suspected of selling drugs on the darknet. Keeping in mind how government officials and law enforcement agencies are cracking down on deep web users all over the country, this news is not entirely surprising. All four arrested individuals were active on a German darknet forum.

Buying and selling drugs is illegal, and the darknet is no exception to this rule. Then again, the Internet has facilitated this type of illegal business on a global scale. Ever since Silk Road came around, there has been an explosion in the number of darknet marketplaces all over the world.

Another Darknet Bust For Selling Drugs

Government officials and law enforcement agencies are working on ways to shut down these platforms. Moreover, they are also arresting vendors active on the deep web, particularly those who buy or sell drugs. Four German individuals were arrested recently, all of whom are suspected of dealing in cannabis, amphetamines, heroin, cocaine, and ecstasy pills.

German sources told us that these individuals made use of the BitMessage system to set up shipments or peer-to-peer sales. All payments were made through Bitcoin, which is often mistaken for being anonymous. Police officials raided the homes of these four individuals and confiscated significant amounts of drugs, as well as cash.

Furthermore, one of the four arrested people possessed Bitcoin at the time of the raid. According to sources, there was 340,000 EUR worth of Bitcoin in his wallet. Other computers and hard drives were confiscated as well, which may lead to discovering other Bitcoin balances.

For now, there is no word on when the trial will be held.It is evident these four individuals will have a hard time escaping jail time, though. With over 11 kg of amphetamines and 250 grammes of heroin confiscated, things are not looking good. Add the 1,425 ecstasy pills and 150 grammes of cocaine to that list, and things are looking bleak.

Once again, this story will not diminish Bitcoin as a viable payment method by any means. Darknet vendors are responsible for their own actions, and Bitcoin doesn't necessarily facilitate their sales. Large quantities of cash were seized during the police raid as well. It is evident criminals will find a way to sell drugs regardless of which payment method they prefer.

Source: Focus (German only)


Comments


[15 Points] SlappySpanBank:

all payments were made through BitCoin, which is often mistaken for being anonymous.

Damn the truth stings like a bee.

Educate yourself before you wreck yourself.


[8 Points] DooshNozzzle:

who tf has 300k in bitcoin that isn't pass protected


[4 Points] SlappySpanBank:

In Germany, I bet he gets 5 years tops.


[4 Points] Just4theDrama:

WhiteDragon

From A German darknetforum. Rumours are they might have been under other names in the markets as well.


[2 Points] sharkbetfarkets:

No info on how they were busted?


[2 Points] blockmains:

Any ID on the vendor?


[1 Points] SamuelEdwardKonkinIV:

Google translation to english of the original article in Focus (linked in original post):

Blow to drug trafficking in the darknet arrest of 4 suspects and searches

Prosecutor General Koblenz, the Landeskriminalamt Rheinland-Pfalz and the Zollfahndungsamt Frankfurt Share: The country's Central Office Cybercrime (LZC) the Prosecutor General Koblenz, and the joint investigation team drug (GER) Mainz the state criminal police Rheinland-Pfalz and the Customs Investigation Office Frankfurt stock an extensive investigation against drug traffickers in the darknet.

The defendants have a German-language "darknet Market Forum" cannabis , amphetamine, heroin, cocaine methamphetamine ( MDMA sold) and ecstasy pills. The appointments were made ​​anonymously about bitmessage, you can pay by Bitcoins and delivery by post. The defendants recruited so to deliver within a day, which requires a constant availability of the offered drugs. On the morning of 11/08/2016 6 properties were searched by 4 accused in eastern Bavaria. Here around 11 kg of amphetamine, 150 g of cocaine, 250 grams of heroin, 175 grams of MDMA, 1,425 ecstasy pills, 645 grams of marijuana and an indoor plantation with 72 cannabis plants in different stages of growth and cash were seized. The seized drugs have a market value of about 130,000, - EUR. One offender was in possession of Bitcoins to the equivalent of about 340,000, - EUR. In addition, computers and disks were seized. The four German defendants were arrested. The investigating judge of the district court Koblenz issued on 12.8.2016 at the request of LZC arrest warrant for the two 31-year-old, the 54-year and 25-year-old accused. The defendants have about the alleged offense no details. Under the Subject line of the LZC very extensive and extremely costly investigations were conducted by the State Office of Criminal Investigation and the Rheinland-Pfalz Zollfahndungsamt Frankfurt. The General Prosecutor and the Koblenz state police and the Zollfahndungsamt Frankfurt Say Thank You to the police headquarters and the Upper Palatinate Zollfahndungsamt Munich and excellent for cooperation.

Press information: General Prosecutor Koblenz The Attorney General Tel .: 0261 / 1307-30101

Background:

  1. The country's Central Office Cybercrime (LZC) has been established at the General Prosecutor Koblenz on 10/01/2014. The Centre attracts investigations in the field of cyber crime of the entire country then in itself, if it is either process is of particular importance, particularly difficult and / or of particular scope.

  2. Bitcoin Bitcoin is a globally available decentralized payment system and the name of a digital unit of money. Transfers are handled by a combination of computers on the Internet using a special peer-to-peer application (transfer of BitCoin directly from computer to computer), so that there is no central clearing house - is required - as in conventional banking. The balances of the participants are stored in personal digital wallets. The market value of Bitcoins subject - similar to analog Currency - fluctuations and is due to supply and demand. Due to the extensive anonymity in payment transactions are BitCoin a popular cash for criminal acts in the so-called. Darknet.

  3. darknet The term refers to the part of the World Wide Web, which does not appear in a search through normal search engines. The in darknet lying sites consist mainly of thematic databases and forums. It is this - often criminal - content and black markets, which should not be indexed by search engines and thus are not freely accessible. Darknet - markets and forums consist primarily of sales of criminal materiel of all types (narcotics, counterfeit money, weapons, etc.). Presentation and user interface of this "Darknetmärkte" are carried out professionally and generally similar to the structure of known virtual marketplaces such as eBay or Amazon. But the daily sales volume of drugs in the darknet is estimated at 300,000 to 500,000 US dollars.


[0 Points] drugsnboobs:

Once again, this story will not diminish Bitcoin as a viable payment method by any means. Darknet vendors are responsible for their own actions, and Bitcoin doesn’t necessarily facilitate their sales.

All the fucking bitcoin speculators desperately trying to convince themselves this is true. If bitcoin had value outside of illegal shit, why did the price drop 50% when SR1 was taken down?