U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in collaboration with Europol, the Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement Team (JCODE), and various national and international partners, announced the results of Operation RapTOR on May 22. This operation, led by Europol, resulted in a record number of seizures for JCODE.
The operation involved significant contributions from ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and included the seizure of over $200 million in currency and digital assets, more than two metric tons of drugs—including 144 kilograms of fentanyl or fentanyl-laced narcotics—and over 180 firearms. The effort also led to 270 arrests of dark web vendors, buyers, and administrators across several countries including Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States.
Europol’s European Cyber Crime Centre led Operation RapTOR which united the FBI-led JCODE team—comprising ICE HSI and law enforcement partners from multiple continents—to combat fentanyl and opioid trafficking on the Darknet. The operation succeeded in dismantling darknet marketplaces such as Nemesis, Tor2Door, Bohemia, and Kingdom Markets.
"This record-breaking operation sends a clear message to every trafficker hiding behind a screen — your anonymity ends where our global reach begins," said ICE acting Director Todd Lyons. Edvardas Šileris from Europol stated: "Operation RapTor shows that the dark web is not beyond the reach of law enforcement."
The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Behrouz Parsarad for his role as founder of Nemesis Market following its seizure. Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasized that criminals cannot hide behind computer screens or seek refuge on the dark web.
FBI Director Kash Patel remarked on the success: "Anyone looking to anonymously harm our citizens through illicit darknet trafficking: your days of recklessness are numbered." DEA acting Administrator Robert Murphy added: "These predators who peddled poison on the dark web might have thought they are untouchable... however Operation RapTor just proved them wrong."
Chief Guy Ficco from IRS Criminal Investigation highlighted this as a proud moment in efforts to protect communities worldwide while Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale stressed their commitment to justice against predatory criminals profiting from violence.
Chad Menster from FDA's Office of Criminal Investigations noted their ongoing work to disrupt illegal drug sales online due to public health risks.
The impact of Operation RapTOR builds upon years-long efforts against dark web crime by HSI alongside U.S. and international partners through initiatives like JCODE involving agencies such as DEA; FBI; FDA-OCI; IRS-CI; USPIS among others.
Several past cases exemplify these efforts including charges against individuals operating large-scale narcotics markets online leading up to successful prosecutions within U.S jurisdictions demonstrating continued vigilance towards combating cybercrime globally.
Robert Hammer from ICE HSI concluded: "Cybercriminals think the Darknet makes them untouchable — we just proved they’re dead wrong."
