tl;dr
A global law enforcement operation called Operation RapTor seized $200 million in cash and digital assets, arrested 270 individuals across 10 countries, and confiscated over two metric tons of drugs, including 144 kilograms of fentanyl-laced substances, 180 firearms, and hundreds of millions in cryp...
Operation RapTor, a sweeping global law enforcement crackdown, seized $200 million in assets and arrested 270 individuals across 10 countries, dismantling darknet drug networks driving the fentanyl crisis. The Department of Justice’s J-CODE initiative led this unprecedented effort, confiscating over two tons of drugs, including 144 kilograms of fentanyl-laced substances, along with 180 firearms and substantial cryptocurrency holdings.
Authorities revealed the pivotal role of stablecoins such as USDT in facilitating fentanyl trafficking and money laundering. Cartel-linked couriers funneled millions in these digital assets to Chinese precursor chemical suppliers, highlighting the integration of cryptocurrency into global drug supply chains. Notably, key figures behind major darknet markets like Nemesis Market and Incognito Market face prosecution for narcotics conspiracy and crypto-based money laundering.
In a related action, Telegram shut down Haowang Guarantee, a vast crypto-powered black market responsible for over $27 billion in illicit transactions, fake IDs, and industrial-scale fraud across Asia’s cyber scam economy. Recent indictments also link the infamous Sinaloa Cartel’s network to fentanyl trafficking and crypto laundering, exemplifying organized crime’s sophisticated use of digital currencies alongside traditional drug trafficking methods.
The coordinated international operation spanned multiple countries, including Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, the U.K., and the U.S., underlining the cross-border nature of these criminal enterprises. DOJ officials emphasized that this historic seizure of drugs, firearms, and illegal funds will save lives and demonstrates that criminals can no longer hide behind the anonymity of the dark web and cryptocurrency.