German authorities announced the ban on a company called ” avengers market Trafficking in drugs, stolen information and various cybercrime services.
The Federal Criminal Police Office, also known as Bundeskriminalamt or BKA, said it seized digital infrastructure related to darknet services located in Germany and Lithuania and confiscated 94,000 euros ($102,107) in cryptocurrency assets.
The operation was conducted in cooperation with law enforcement agencies in Germany, Lithuania and the United States and was conducted on March 20, 2024, following an extensive investigation that began in October 2022.
Founded in 2021, Nemesis Market was estimated to have over 150,000 user accounts and 1,100 seller accounts from around the world before closing. Nearly $20 worth of seller accounts are from Germany.
“The range of goods available on the market includes narcotics, data and goods obtained through fraudulent means, as well as a range of cybercriminal services such as ransomware, phishing or DDoS attacks,” the BKA said.
The agency said it is currently conducting further investigations into criminal sellers and users of the platform. That said, no arrests have been made.
A month ago, another coordinated law enforcement operation brought down the LockBit ransomware group, taking control of the group’s servers and arresting three affiliates from Poland and Ukraine. The breach prompted the group to restart its online extortion campaign.
In recent months, German authorities have also banned Kingdom Market and Crimemarket, both of which had thousands of users and offered a wide range of money laundering and cybercrime services.
