‘Dark web’ sales sites shut down

Two of the largest “dark web” marketplaces for illegal items including guns and drugs have been shut down by the US government, the country’s Justice Department has said.

Alphabay and Hansa, two of the largest marketplaces on the Tor network, which helps users browse the internet anonymously, have been taken offline as the result of an investigation by the US, working with police in Europe.

Users of the dark web network buy illegal items, also including malware and stolen data, using digital currencies.