Archetyp Dark Web Market Seized, Admin Arrested in Spain
European law enforcement agencies have dismantled Archetyp Market, a long-running dark web platform used primarily for drug sales, following a coordinated international operation called Operation Deep Sentinel spanning six countries. The takedown brings an end to a major online drug marketplace that had operated largely uninterrupted for over five years.
Archetyp had built a global user base exceeding 600,000 and facilitated transactions worth at least 250 million euros. Investigators say it was one of the few dark web markets to allow the sale of fentanyl and other powerful synthetic opioids, contributing to the wider threat of overdose and illicit drug circulation across Europe and elsewhere.
The enforcement action took place between 11 and 13 June, with police forces in Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, and Sweden executing a series of targeted operations. About 300 officers were involved, arresting the 30-year-old German administrator in Barcelona and taking down the marketplace’s infrastructure in the Netherlands.
Authorities also moved against one moderator and six of the platform’s top vendors in Germany and Sweden. Investigators seized assets valued at 7.8 million euros, which include both cryptocurrency and physical property.
Seized Domains and Official Notice
Authorities have seized all clear web and dark web domains associated with and operated by the Archetyp Market, including the following:
Archetyp.ccZjfsopfrwpvqrhiy73vxb6zq7ksyffkzfyow2gmhgvjsseogy65uguyd.onionUyeygtqorgwxmp4bskauanuiofeh7frv35nvmghni5aihf32z27ogqqd.onionS4wq4oz66bbyvsv2rg3ixwuwzvoxv226bg3563ptchx7xknelhfu3rqd.onion
Visitors to these domains now see a seizure banner accompanied by a notice stating:
“This domain has been seized by the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) on behalf of the Attorney General’s Office in Frankfurt am Main as part of a coordinated law enforcement operation. Law enforcement agencies have seized databases and other information related to this domain. Operation-deepsentinel.com.“
According to Europol’s press release, the operation was led by the German Prosecutor General’s Office in Frankfurt and supported by Europol and Eurojust. Investigators say they were able to identify individuals behind the platform by tracing digital forensic evidence and observing how money moved through both crypto and traditional financial systems.
Jean-Philippe Lecouffe, Europol’s Deputy Executive Director of Operations, said the removal of Archetyp Market sends a clear message to online drug traffickers.
“There is no safe haven for those who profit from harm,” he said, noting that the takedown disrupts a major distribution point for synthetic opioids, cocaine, MDMA, and other illegal substances.
Archetyp’s takedown adds to a growing list of darknet markets shut down by international task forces in recent years. Like Dream Market and Silk Road before it, Archetyp had gained a reputation within criminal circles for its reliability and scope. Authorities say its removal will have a big impact on online drug trafficking networks, at least temporarily.
Participating agencies included the German Federal Criminal Police, Dutch National Police, Romanian National Police, Spanish National Police, Swedish Police Authority, and US Homeland Security Investigations. The IRS-Criminal Investigation Division and the US Department of Justice also contributed to the probe.
According to Europol, this kind of cross-border cooperation has proven to be one of the most effective tools in targeting online criminal infrastructure. As more dark web vendors and buyers rely on anonymizing tools and cryptocurrencies, investigators are adjusting their methods, using advanced analytics and joint operations to keep pace.
