Global law enforcement operations have resulted in $200 million seizures in cash and digital assets, and 270 individuals have been arrested in 10 countries, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday.
Officials, called Operation Raptor, say the coordinated strike is dismantling the Darknet Drug network that fuels the fentanyl epidemic, marking its biggest seizure to date under the initiative known as the J-Code.
Authorities confiscated two tons of drugs, 144 kilograms of fentanyl lace material, 180 firearms and hundreds of millions of drugs. Crypto According to DOJ, assets statement It was released on Thursday.
The operations led by the DOJ co-offender Opioid and Darknet’s executive team are: Europole and markets in dozens of international organizations, target drug vendors and markets in Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, UK and the United States.
Founded in 2018, J-Code is trying to detect, disrupt and dismantle the most prolific criminal enterprises that rely on the internet or advanced technology to promote opioid trafficking.
“The international seizure of this historic firearm, deadly drugs and illegal funds will save lives,” Attorney General Pam Bondy said in a statement. “Criminals cannot hide behind computer screens or seek evacuation on the dark web.”
The mission shows growing concerns about how cryptography is being used for traffic opioids And the profits of laundry.
Cartel-linked money courier leaked At least $5.5 million in stablecoins Like USDT A March report from Chain Olysis revealed a company called “on-chain fentanyl economy” to China’s fentanyl precursor supplier.
Previously TRM Lab It has been reported It revealed that 97% of Chinese chemical vendors surveyed have accepted crypto, becoming a critical infrastructure for global human trafficking networks.
These on-chain patterns reflect the behavior of individuals already indicted by the DOJ under Operation Raptor.
Among them was Iranian national Bells Persalad, who was indicted in Ohio. Authorized by the US Treasury OFAC In his first action as a J-code member of the Nemesis market, an operational platform that sold opioids and hidden profits through crypto wallets.
Federal prosecutors have brought similar charges against Rui-Siang Lin, who ran “one of the largest drug markets on the internet” with him. Convicted in December Drug conspiracy, money laundering, and selling wrong branded drugs.
this week, Telegram shut down Haowang warrantya vast black market linked to illegal transactions of more than $27 billion across Asia’s cyber fraud economy.
Blockchain company Elliptic is described as “the most prolific crypto fuel black market ever seen online.” Haowang exploited victims who were trafficked into laundry washed with USDT, fake IDs, tools for industrialized fraud, and were often trapped in fraudulent compounds.
Most recently, Pedro Insunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Insunza Colonel; He was charged in California Fentanyl trafficking in report linking Sinaloa’s cartel facts to crypto-based laundry through Chinese brokers.
Edited by Sebastian Sinclair
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