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Archetyp Market was the longest-operating darknet drug marketplace, active since May 2020. It offered a vast range of narcotics, including cocaine, heroin, cannabis, MDMA, amphetamines, and synthetic opioids like fentanyl. With over 17,000 listings and 3,200 vendors, it became a central hub for the dark web drug trade.
During its five-year run, the platform processed over €250 million ($289 million) in transactions using Monero cryptocurrency. It attracted more than 612,000 users, making it one of the most trafficked dark web drug sites in history.
Between June 11 and 13, 2025, a coordinated effort known as Operation Deep Sentinel was conducted. Led by German police with support from Europol and Eurojust, authorities from Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and the US participated.
Spanish police arrested the suspected 30-year-old German administrator in Barcelona. Dutch investigators took down the marketplace’s infrastructure. In Germany and Sweden, one moderator and six high-volume vendors were arrested. A total of 300 officers were deployed.
Seizures and evidence collected by authorities:
47 smartphones
45 computers
Large quantities of narcotics
Assets worth €7.8 million, including cryptocurrency wallets and cash
Jean-Philippe Lecouffe, Europol’s deputy executive director of operations, said, "We are sending a clear message: there is no safe haven for those who profit from harm."
Archetyp’s takedown follows previous dark web shutdowns, such as Hydra and Silk Road, but stands out for its longevity. This operation disrupts a major supply chain of harmful substances and reinforces that law enforcement can penetrate even the most secure corners of the dark web.
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