According to the police in Düsseldorf, they have successfully dealt a significant blow to the largest German-language criminal trading platform on the internet, known as "Crimemarket". Investigators carried out a coordinated operation across Germany and abroad on the evening of February 29, 2024, targeting the operators of the platform, as stated in a press release. The platform offers criminal services as well as detailed instructions for serious crimes or drugs.

Numerous searches and arrests were conducted. In total, the officers searched nearly 100 locations in almost all federal states, according to a police spokesperson. There were also arrests made, although no specific numbers were provided regarding the individuals apprehended. North Rhine-Westphalia was a focal point of the operation. The investigators in Düsseldorf plan to provide further details of the operation on March 1, 2024. Until then, no further information will be disclosed, emphasized the police spokesperson.

The success of years of investigation

The investigations target not only the operators of "Crimemarket" but also the providers and users of the platform, which is structured similarly to entirely legal online marketplaces, according to the police. The raid followed intensive investigations led by the Central and Contact Point for Cybercrime in North Rhine-Westphalia (ZAC NRW). A special investigation commission of the Düsseldorf Police Headquarters has spent years compiling evidence related to crimes surrounding the criminal platform.