Finnish Customs dismantle dark web marketplace Sipulitie

The Finnish Customs, in collaboration with international law enforcement, have successfully dismantled the Sipulitie marketplace, a dark web platform known for narcotics sales.

Bitdefender's Chief Security Strategist, Alexandru Cătălin Coșoi, expressed satisfaction with the operation's outcome. He stated, "We are extremely pleased with the successful takedown of the Sipulitie and Tsatti dark markets, and congratulate Finnish Customs, the Swedish Police, global law enforcement, and all those involved. This operation exemplifies the power of collaboration between the public and private security sector in dismantling illegal online activities, in this case, markets that sold large amounts of narcotics. It also serves a message to criminals who believe the dark web covers their actions and guarantees their anonymity. If they become the target of an international effort, they can't hide."

The Sipulitie marketplace, launched earlier in 2023, operated on the Tor network, facilitating anonymous illegal transactions. The recent operation resulted in the seizure of the marketplace's servers and content, marking a significant development in international efforts to combat dark web criminal activities.

According to the Finnish Customs, seamless cooperation with Swedish Police and Europol was crucial in this endeavour. Hannu Sinkkonen, Director of Enforcement at Finnish Customs, discussed the importance of collaboration: "Over the years we at Finnish Customs have intervened effectively using many different methods in the criminal activities taking place on the dark web. Seamless cooperation between authorities at both the national and international level plays a crucial role in combating online crime."

In addition to Sipulitie, Finnish Customs successfully dismantled Tsätti, a related chat-based sales website operated by the same administrator. Close cooperation with Swedish authorities, Europol, and other police units across Europe facilitated these actions.

Bitdefender contributed significantly to the Sipulitie investigation by providing Finnish Customs with actionable intelligence. The collaborative effort underlines the crucial role that partnerships between law enforcement and private companies play in addressing cybercrime globally.

Sipulitie evolved from its predecessor, Sipulimarket, which Finnish Customs shut down in December 2020 with the help of Polish authorities and Bitdefender. Sipulimarket was responsible for selling narcotics and doping substances worth €2 million.

While the marketplace and related platforms have been dismantled, investigations continue. Authorities have identified key figures behind these operations, including administrators and other involved individuals. Some users, who engaged in buying and selling on these platforms, have also been identified through seized materials.