The shutdown is a reminder that international law enforcement agencies are increasingly collaborating to tackle the issue of illegal dark web activities. The operators of Bohemia and Cannabia apparently became aware of the Politie probe, which disrupted their operations, so in 2023 they allegedly pulled an “exit scam” that saw them close the services and make off with the operations’ funds. The Dutch police have announced the takedown of Bohemia and Cannabia, which has been described as the world’s largest and longest-running dark web market for illegal goods, drugs, and cybercrime services. Investigators estimate the marketplaces processed approximately 67,000 transactions each month, with a record turnover of €12 million in September 2023. The administrators are believed to have earned around €5 million before performing an exit scam. One of the clues unearthed by the trawl of CyberBunker’s servers was related to the ownership of DarkMarket.
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In May, 2020, an online-crime unit in the northern German city of Oldenburg was asked to investigate. British, American, and Australian forces then helped to follow the clues to verify real-world information about them. The investigation of DarkMarket was spurred by another, much larger German police investigation into an organization called CyberBunker, which I wrote about in the magazine last year. In 2013, a polyglot group of programmers and hackers, under the leadership of an eccentric fifty-three-year-old Dutchman named Xennt, moved into a Cold War-era bunker near the picturesque town of Traben-Trarbach, in the Mosel Valley. The bunker had previously belonged to the German military, and it was designed to withstand a nuclear attack. Xennt, who had a lifelong fascination with underground fortresses, lived in the bunker.
The administrators claim that they invested two years in developing the market before its launch in June 2021. Notably, Bohemia offers an exceptionally affordable vendor bond priced at $200, which is a common strategy employed by emerging markets seeking to establish themselves. Additionally, Bohemia waives vendor bonds for reputable vendors with established track records. Payments can be made via escrow or by completing the transaction earlier than scheduled using the early finalization feature. As for what goods they offer, well, they have Fentanyl and Covid vaccines in stock.
In addition, the United States and international law enforcement partners made 270 arrests of dark web vendors, buyers, and administrators in Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States. Apparently, the operators of Bohemia and Cannabia learned about the police investigation, which disrupted their operations, so in 2023 they allegedly carried out an “exit scam” that led them to shut down services and seize the funds from the operations. The law enforcement operation is the latest attempt to curb cybercrime and crack down on online marketplaces. German police seized the infrastructure of a similar marketplace called Nemesis in March, four months after taking down the illicit emporium Kingdom Market. The Bohemia marketplace ceased operations in late 2023 due to service disruptions, while its members suspected an exit scams of a rogue developer. At the time of its shut down, Bohemia hosted 82,000 daily ads and handled around 67,000 transactions monthly, with a turnover of €12 million in September 2023 alone.
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On the site, a graphic appeared, showing an insect with a female face—a logo for DarkMarket—underneath a flyswatter. This platform has rapidly become a key player in the fraud market, trading in PII and SSH credentials while making use of both the clear and dark web. Since its inception, the market has catered to criminals looking for high-quality counterfeit items, such as fake IDs, passports, and branded luxury goods. It allows vendors to sell without registration, which provides an added layer of anonymity, making it one of the more flexible and user-friendly markets on the dark web. The market is also known for its listings related to financial fraud, such as phishing tools and stolen credit card information. The first major darknet market pioneered BTC trading, processing $1.2 billion before its 2013 shutdown.
Bohemia Market Link Darknet
Incognito Market runs 20,000+ listings and $2.8 million monthly trades with BTC and XMR, holding a 5% market stake. Its 10,000+ users and 800+ vendors rely on 2FA and escrow security for private cryptocurrency trading. Due to the illegal nature of the goods and services provided by the darknet markets, their lifespan is usually extremely short. The cause of death may differ, ranging from a law enforcement operation or cyberattack to a blunt exit scam. Occasionally, the market’s administration manages to go gracefully, like the White House Market did.
Several Million Euros In Sales Per Month
It is the largest and longest running international dark web market of all time worldwide.” reads the announcement published by Polite. The operation led to the seizure of cryptocurrency worth over $8.77 million from the arrested individuals. This substantial sum underscores the lucrative nature of darknet marketplace operations and the financial incentives driving cybercriminals. After the abrupt closure of a certain dark web marketplace, Bohemia Market has emerged as one of the larger darknet trading platforms. After two months of tracking by “ODN”, there are indications that Bohemia Market might be opting for an “exit scam”.
Essential advice for navigating darknet marketplaces safely and effectively in 2025. The Politie identified several marketplace administrators and arrested two suspects, one in the Netherlands and the other in Ireland. The authorities also seized two vehicles and €8 million worth of cryptocurrency. Some sellers on Bohemia advertised they were shipping the products from the Netherlands. The initial police investigation revealed 14,000 transactions from the Netherlands took place with a value of at least 1.7 million euros. Whether Bohemia Market is indeed an “exit scam”, if users’ funds will be returned, “ODN” will continue to monitor the situation.
Bohemia Market, One Of The Largest Dark Web Marketplaces, Is Suspected To Be Running An “exit Scam”
Here’s a look at the top 10 dark web markets currently dominating this underground space. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in collaboration with Europol, the Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement Team, and various national and international partners, announced the results of Operation RapTOR May 22. This historic takedown, led by Europol, resulted in the highest number of seizures in JCODE’s history.
How Does Security Work At Bohemian Market
Once payment has been made, customers receive their purchased items via mail or courier service from their chosen vendor. All transactions are done anonymously so there’s no way of tracing who bought what on the site. Similar to many marketplaces, Bohemia Market employs a conventional escrow system for darknet transactions. Additionally, buyers are afforded the convenience of an intelligent cart system, which enables the purchase of multiple products from various vendors in a single transaction.
- The man was arrested at the Schiphol airport in Amsterdam on June 27, 2024, and electronic devices containing incriminating data and access keys to Bitcoin wallets were seized.
- The administrator of the Dread forum speculated that their wallets have been emptied, and they are trying to salvage the situation by selectively allowing users with complaints to withdraw funds.
- In May, 2020, an online-crime unit in the northern German city of Oldenburg was asked to investigate.
- One of the German officers charged with analyzing the contents of the CyberBunker servers told me that the volume of data was unwieldy, but its content fascinating.
- “Administrators, sellers and buyers of and on illegal marketplaces often believe themselves to be elusive to the police and the judiciary,” said Stan Duijf, head of the operations unit of the National Investigation and Interventions.
The Politie said it was able to identify several administrators and arrest two suspects, one in the Netherlands and the other in Ireland. Founded in 2020, Cypher Market has carved out a niche on the dark web by focusing on cybercrime products. The marketplace requires merchants to pay fees to sell their products, helping ensure a certain level of quality control. Its user base is primarily English-speaking, and it appeals to more sophisticated cybercriminals.
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On November 20, one of the Bohemia administrators posted on the dark web forum Dread to explain this disruption that has been impacting the market, using their PGP key to verify their identity. The darknet market also had most of its server infrastructure in the country, which is now under the police’s control. The man was arrested at the Schiphol airport in Amsterdam on June 27, 2024, and electronic devices containing incriminating data and access keys to Bitcoin wallets were seized. This coordinated effort involved law enforcement agencies from the Netherlands, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States, demonstrating the global reach required to combat sophisticated cybercriminal networks.
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Concern for the market’s long-term survival is palpable among Dread’s top executives. However, Bohemia will see an increase in business if the current trends continue. Vendor bonds are available to businesses of all sizes in Bohemia, not just those with a long history of operation. However, those vendors who have been in the business for a long time and can prove this do not have to pay this bond. Once again, this sees the dark web market ecosystem in flux and it is likely we will see other sites try to capture market share from Bohemia. This drives home the need for continuous monitoring of the dark web to stay on top of fast-moving developments in the online criminal underground.
Bohemia is said to have served 82,000 ads worldwide every day, with about 67,000 transactions taking place each month. By leveraging automated dark web monitoring, organizations can mitigate risks, and take preventive measures before the leaked data is exploited. Manual monitoring of the dark web is inefficient and risky due to the sheer volume of data involved. The access, Ukraine’s Cyber Police said, was facilitated by setting up an autonomous server room in his apartment, with additional servers rented in Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Russia. There are a lot of “tells” that the ransomware group doesn’t understand how negotiators work, despite threatening to dox data if victims call for help. Of course, it lacks in scale and some advanced features, like Multisig or wallet-free payments.
It was launched in 2017 as one of the first dark web marketplaces after Silk Road 2.0 went offline in 2014. The site is mainly used by criminals selling illegal drugs, stolen data, fake IDs and counterfeit money. However, it also offers legitimate products such as hardware, software licenses, gift cards and electronics at discounted prices compared to legal vendors. Building on the successes of prior years’ operations, Operation RapTOR furthered global efforts to dismantle darknet marketplaces, resulting in the seizure of darknet infrastructure from Nemesis, Tor2Door, Bohemia, and Kingdom Markets. These actions provided investigators across the globe with invaluable leads and evidence, strengthening the ongoing fight against cybercrime and illicit activities on the darknet. Bohemia Market is a darknet marketplace that uses a conventional escrow system and accepts BTC and XMR.
