In a significant breakthrough against cybercrime, German law enforcement has successfully dismantled “Crimenetwork,” the nation’s largest online criminal marketplace. The operation was spearheaded by Frankfurt’s Public Prosecutor’s Office (ZIT) and the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA).

The platform, operational since 2012, had amassed over 100,000 users and 100 registered sellers. It facilitated illegal transactions including drug sales, stolen data trading, and document forgery, with payments processed through cryptocurrencies Bitcoin and Monero. The marketplace generated approximately $5 million in revenue since 2018 through commissions and subscriptions, with total transactions reaching €93 million ($98 million).

Law enforcement arrested the platform’s administrator, a 29-year-old technical expert known as “Techmin,” who now faces charges under German Criminal Code Section 127 and the Narcotics Act. The operation also resulted in the seizure of server infrastructure and valuable user and transaction data.

This takedown is part of Germany’s broader cybercrime crackdown, which recently included the seizure of the Dstat.cc DDoS platform and the shutdown of 47 cryptocurrency exchange services involved in money laundering. Authorities continue to investigate potential additional arrests connected to the platform.