Largest ever international dark web drug bust seizes 850 kilos and $53 million

The Department of Justice announced 288 arrests in an international dark web/darknet operation, the largest ever of its kind and nearly double the previous largest.

In a press release, the DOJ announced that its Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement team, along with many international partners, seized 117 firearms, $53.4 million in cash and crypto currencies, and 850 kilograms of drugs including 64 kg of fentanyl or fentanyl-laced narcotics.

The dark web is described as internet content that exists on darknets: networks that require specific software, configurations, or authorization to access.

The joint operation, called Operation SpecTor, spanned three continents to disrupt fentanyl and opioid trafficking on the dark web and garnered recognition from some of the United States' top officials.

“Our message to criminals on the dark web is this: You can try to hide in the furthest reaches of the internet, but the Justice Department will find you and hold you accountable for your crimes," said Attorney General Merrick Garland.

“The availability of dangerous substances like fentanyl on dark net marketplaces is helping to fuel the crisis that has claimed far too many American lives,” added FBI Director Christopher Wray.

Some of the high-profile arrests include Anton Peck of Boca Raton, Florida, who was sentenced to 16 years in prison for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin.

After receiving payment in cryptocurrency, his co-conspirators would mail the drugs using the U.S. Postal Service. One of those men, Kevin Fusco, was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Peck reportedly had a list of over 6,000 customers living in the United States.

A California man named Christopher Hampton was indicted for allegedly operating labs that used high-speed pill presses containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. Having allegedly sold nearly $2 million worth of drugs, Hampton faces life in prison.

Authorities seized 530 pounds of narcotics, illegal firearms, and six pill pressing machines.

A federal grand jury charged Holly Adams and Devlin Hosner of Indio, California, with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine and with conspiracy to launder money. The pair allegedly made over 1,100 transactions selling counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. They are alleged to have received over $800,000 in crypto currency.

Federal agents seized 10,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills and approximately 60 grams of methamphetamine from that investigation.

Agencies such as the DOJ, DEA, ATF, FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, as well as the Naval Criminal Investigative Service all took part in the operation. Overseas authorities included law enforcement from the following countries: Austria, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Brazil, and more.

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