On this International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the #FBI reaffirms our commitment to helping remove tens of thousands of potentially lethal drugs from circulation. Read about the Bureau’s recent efforts to target darknet drug markets:

New York – Rashad Alkhader – Free Yemen Eye – – From – News – FBI

Sweep Targets Darknet Markets
Operation SpecTor spanned three continents, seized millions of dollars, and removed tens of thousands of potentially lethal drugs from circulation

A massive coordinated operation spanning nine countries and dozens of law enforcement agencies across the United States, Europe, and South America targeting darknet drug markets culminated recently with seizures of more than $50 million in cash and virtual currency, 1,875 pounds of potentially lethal pills and other drugs, and 288 arrests.

Operation SpecTor uncovered vast networks of manufacturers, online supply chains, buyers, re-sellers, and users, revealing that the darknet—a part of the internet accessible through an encrypted browser—provides only a veneer of anonymity. The drug seizures included about 152 pounds of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid so dangerous that two milligrams—like a few grains of salt—is a potentially lethal dose.

“The availability of dangerous substances like fentanyl on darknet marketplaces is helping to fuel the crisis that has claimed far too many American lives, “ FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement. “That’s why we will continue to join forces with our law enforcement partners around the globe to attack this problem together.”

The operation began in late 2021. The Joint Criminal and Opioid Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) team, which the Department of Justice created in 2018, led the effort. The team coordinates complex, multi-agency investigations into virtual marketplaces selling dangerous and illegal drugs around the globe. The FBI was among 12 U.S. agencies working with local partners in the operation.

Overseas, the Bureau worked closely with authorities in Brazil and Europol (which provides investigative support to European law enforcement agencies) to conduct 135 arrests and seize more than $38 million.

“These darknet marketplaces and vendors are not limited by geographical boundaries, requiring us to work closely with our international partners,” said Kristen Varel, a supervisory special agent in the FBI’s High Tech Organized Crime Unit, which coordinates the JCODE operations. “We focus on those vendors operating on U.S. soil, but we also investigate the marketplace infrastructure, which is frequently located overseas, often in European countries.”

 

Here in the U.S., the FBI partners with federal agencies with expertise in every facet of the drug pipeline, from pill presses and social media posts to packages in the mail. That includes the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Postal Inspection Service, which is the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Postal Service.

“JCODE would not be successful without the partnerships,” Varel said. “Everything hits on multiple locations. We have shipments going back and forth between states and even countries. And so it’s key that we all work together on this.”

Law enforcement conducted more seizures—including 117 firearms—during Operation SpecTor than any prior operation. The number of arrests, including 153 in the U.S., are the most ever for any JCODE operation.