In a series of operations throughout October and November 2021, Eurojust helped facilitate the arrests of numerous online scammers, suspects involved in buying or selling illicit goods on the Dark Web, and attackers using ransomware. By supporting operation Dark HunTOR, Eurojust contributed to the arrests of 150 alleged suspects across Europe and the United States involved in buying or selling illicit goods on the Dark Web. Additionally, more than EUR 26.7 million in cash and virtual currencies were seized as well as 234 kg of drugs and 45 firearms. The operation built on the results of the takedown of DarkMarket, the world’s largest illegal marketplace on the Dark Web, in January 2021.

Furthermore, through a series of actions, German, Georgian, and Israeli authorities dismantled a criminal network operating various online trading platforms and defrauding victims of millions of euros. Fraudsters had set up several limited companies, which operated these platforms and pretended to generate high profits on investments in financial securities, shares, commodity assets, currencies, and cryptocurrencies.

Twelve cyber actors involved in committing ransomware attacks against critical infrastructure focusing especially on large corporations were targeted in an action day carried out in the Ukraine and Switzerland. It included law enforcement and judicial authorities from eight countries as well as Europol and Eurojust.

A similar action against an organised crime group (OCG), which contributed to a considerable number of ransomware attacks across Europe, led to the arrest of two suspects and the seizure of multiple items. The estimated profits of the OCG amounted to several million euros and stemmed from their use of malware to render the data of companies and institutions inaccessible unless a ransom was paid.