CYBERCRIME
What makes the darknet a big draw for crooks is anonymity. It’s a digital space that the police and big internet providers have no control over. For this reason, it’s a place where criminals can trade illegal goods and services, such as hackers for hire.
One example of illegal activity was the Silk Road, a digital black market named after the famous Silk Road that connected Asia to Europe. This allowed people to sell drugs, engage in money laundering activities and more. Launched in 2011, it was shut down by the FBI two years later, and its founder is now serving a life sentence.
In 2019, the Wall Street Market was shut down by German police. It had been a place to trade illicit services – ranging from fake documents and stolen credit card details to malicious software. Last year American officials reported that 179 people were arrested and more than $6.5 million (£4.8 million) was seized in a worldwide crackdown on illegal activities on the darknet as part of an operation called Disruptor.