The largest illegal bazaar on the global dark web, likened to an eBay for criminals, has been shut down after its alleged mastermind was arrested in Germany.
Darkmarket had more than half a million users and 2,500 vendors exchanging illicit goods such as drugs, stolen credit card details, counterfeit money and hacking tools.
It was taken offline on Tuesday as the Australian man believed to be its ringleader — identified as Julian K, 34 — was caught while attempting to cross the border from Denmark.
More than 20 of its computer servers, based in Ukraine and Moldova, were also confiscated in an operation involving the German police, the FBI and Scotland Yard.
The website had existed on the “dark” section of the internet, accessible only