According to authorities in Austria, they have arrested nine people for importing and reselling huge quantities of drugs they purchased on the dark web.
The upper Austria state police say that the suspects were arrested after a five-month investigation that targeted three groups suspected of reselling large quantities of drugs sourced from dark web markets.
The investigation started after authorities in Braunau district, Upper Austria, recorded an increase in drug overdose and traffic accident cases. The investigation showed that the increase in the cases was allegedly tied to an increase in the trade and consumption of drugs. Austrian authorities then established that the drugs were imported into upper Austria by resellers who sourced drugs on the dark web.
The Ried public prosecutor led some investigators in cooperation with the Linz Customs Investigation Agency and the police inspections in Braunau. They were able to identify postal boxes in Upper Austria and in Bavaria, Germany, that were used by the alleged drug dealers to receive drugs. With this information, the investigators were able to track suspected suppliers, resellers, and buyers.
Austrian Police Seize Drugs
The authorities searched a total of 14 residences during the operation. During the searches they seized:
- 1kg of cannabis
- 630 grams of amphetamine
- 100 grams of MDMA
- 40 grams of heroin
- 14 fentanyl patches
- 53 grams of ketamine
Authorities established that most of the suspected drug dealers sold to the same group of customers. Investigators were able to identify a total of 125 customers who were subsequently charged by the Ried public prosecutor.
The investigators say six of the arrested suspects are aged between 21 and 30, these six played the most significant role in the drug trafficking operation. Those six suspects are accused of selling a total of nine and a half kilograms of cannabis, 250 fentanyl patches, 2.2 kilograms of amphetamine, 190 grams of MDMA, 500 ecstasy tablets, 85 grams of heroin, 300 grams of cocaine, 100 Valium tablets, 50 ephedrine pills, and 100 2CB tablets.