On August 30, 2025, a major joint operation by US and Dutch law enforcement agencies successfully disrupted a dark-web marketplace specializing in the sale of forged passports, driver’s licenses and other identity documents in return for Bitcoin and Monero. The takedown, coordinated by the FBI, Europol and the Dutch National Police, targeted servers hosted across Europe and North America, leading to the arrest of four administrators and the seizure of digital assets valued at over $4 million.
According to court filings, the marketplace had operated since late 2023, offering tiered pricing and impersonation services that claimed to guarantee documents undetectable by government scanning systems. Transactions were conducted exclusively via cryptocurrency, leveraging tumblers and mixing services to obfuscate the flow of funds. Investigators employed blockchain analysis tools to trace payment trails to crypto exchanges, resulting in the identification of multiple suspects across three countries.
The operation also involved takedown of mirror sites and communication channels on encrypted messaging platforms. Seized evidence includes chat logs, cryptocurrency wallets and promotional material illustrating the sale of high-quality counterfeit IDs used for financial fraud and welfare scams. Officials highlighted the challenges posed by the marketplace’s decentralized structure and reliance on digital currencies, which allowed perpetrators to operate with relative impunity until law enforcement collaboration bridged existing jurisdictional gaps.
In a joint statement, the FBI’s Cyber Division and Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre emphasized that crypto-enabled criminal platforms remain a priority target. “This case demonstrates the efficacy of cross-border cooperation and the use of advanced blockchain forensics,” the agencies said. “Those who exploit cryptocurrencies to facilitate serious identity crimes will be pursued relentlessly.”
Authorities are now working with crypto exchanges to implement stronger Know Your Customer (KYC) controls and have called on legislators to tighten regulations around privacy coins. The investigation remains ongoing, with prosecutors pursuing charges including conspiracy, money laundering and identity theft. The arrests mark one of the largest crypto-related law enforcement actions this year and send a clear signal that international cooperation can disrupt illicit digital marketplaces.
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