Tor network

Finnish language darkweb market Sipulimarket, has been seized by Finnish Customs, in conjunction with Europol and polish authorities. This is the last Finnish dark web market.

Finnish authorities seized the dark web market on December 11, 2020. Finnish customs, working in conjuction with the Polish Provincial Police Headquarters in Wroclaw and Europol, seized servers belonging to Sipulimarket, they also seized Bitcoin that belonged to Sipulimarket.

The notice on the Sipulimarket darkweb link reads:

THIS HIDDEN SERVICE HAS BEEN CLOSED

by the Finnish Customs in conjunction with the Cybercrime Department of Provincial Police Headquarters in Wrocław with the support of Europol and Eurojust for aggravated narcotics offenses.

The press release by Finnish authorities stated that Sipulimarket allowed users to buy and sell “drugs and other illegal commodities,”. Sipulimarket was launched in 2019.

In 2018, Finnish authorities seized Sipulikanava, which was a darkweb imageboard that facilitated the sale of contraband. In 2019, Finnish customs seized Silkkitie (Valhalla).

Sipulimarket

Europol, announced the takedown of Sipulimarket, saying “operational support and technical expertise.”

Europol also said that they are responsible for hosting the seizure banner visible on the Sipulimarket dark web link. BitDefender, described as a “global cybersecurity leader,” advised Europol during the investigation.

The market is still being investigated by Finnish Customs and they say that they will not be providing additional information “at this stage.”

Market link: http://sipuli7oouf7gupegfhxskhzg3yq5ifzz2vpljy3karyyrhybzs2tgid.onion/

Europol announcement of the Sipulimarket seizure

Today the Finnish Customs (Tulli) have shut down the Sipulimarket dark web marketplace and seized all its content. This latest hit against the dark web was done in close cooperation with the Polish Provincial Police Headquarters in Wroclaw (Komenda Wojewódzka Policji we Wroclawiu) and Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) and Eurojust

Drugs and other illegal commodities were sold in large quantities on Sipulimarket which had been operating on the The Onion Router (Tor) network since 2019. It was the only remaining Finnish language dark web marketplace on Tor after the Finnish Customs shut down Silkkitie (Valhalla) in spring 2019. 

Europol supported the Finnish Customs by providing operational support and technical expertise, including hosting the seizure banner. Bitdefender, an internet security company, provided assistance by advising Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3). 

This is yet another example of how law enforcement continues to successfully target criminal activity on the dark web. 

Source: https://www.europol.europa.eu/newsroom/news/finnish-customs-take-down-sipulimarket-dark-web-europol-support (Europol Website)