Web

The Ripple Effect of the Biggest Dark Web Market Take Down Since the Silk Road

With the take down of the largest market on the Dark Web, the ripple effect has users and admins scrambling in its void.

On July 5 the largest Dark Web market, Alphabay, disappeared offline. Initially, there were fears that its administrators had vanished using an “Exit Scam,” taking the site’s digital value with them, which is not unheard of among Dark Web sites.

However, the Wall Street Journal reported that the site’s disappearance was in fact due to a coordinated attack between US, Canadian, and Thai authorities.

It reports that Alphabay key administrator, 26-year-old Canadian Alexandre Cazes, was arrested in Thailand on July 5. He was later found hanging in his Bangkok prison cell, which Thai police is calling a suicide.

Dark Web Ripple Effect

The site’s take down has caused a ripple effect among the sites users. It is estimated that Alphabay had listings of over 300,000 types of narcotics, stolen credit cards, and other contraband items, which brought in an estimated value of $600,000 – $800,000 in revenue per day.

Now, other big plays on the Dark Web like Hansa and Dream Market are feeling the effects of Alphabay’s absence. Hansa has “closed its doors” to new customers due to the huge spike in activity. The Sub Reddit AlphaBayMarket has recently lit up with activity regarding these recent events with contributors discussing what has happened and where to go next.

“Due to the influx of Alphabay refugees we are dealing with technical issues,” read a message on the site. “We have set a stop on new registrations until further notice.”

“When you have a site like AlphaBay going down, it puts a lot of stress on the other players. It’s stress-testing their infrastructures,” said professor of computer science and public policy at Carnegie Mellon Nicolas Christin on Wired. “It’s been really chaotic.”

Accessibility has not been the only issue for buyers looking to spend their digital currency. There are concerns regarding the reliability of rival websites such as Dream Market, along with complaints regarding its poor interface. One Reddit users commented “I’ve used dream off and on for year or so now and tbh I still f***ing hate it,” adding “Using their website feels like I’m playing around on some 15 year olds MySpace page.”

However Alphabay is not the first site the Feds have taken down. In 2015 Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht was sentenced to life in prison after the previous leading site was removed.

According to the Bangkok Post, Cazes was a resident of Thailand for eight years and had a Thai wife. During the raid, Thai officials took four Lamborghini cars and three luxurious residencies with a total value of $11.7 million.

Sam Brake Guia

Sam is an energetic and passionate writer/presenter, always looking for the next adventure. In August 2016 he donated all of his possessions to charity, quit his job, and left the UK. Since then he has been on the road travelling through North, Central and South America searching for new adventures and amazing stories.

View Comments

Recent Posts

AI and the Dopamine Trap: How Algorithms Are Rewiring Our Social Cravings

New research shows AI companions can lift mood and teach social skills, but only when…

2 days ago

Hate speech, deepfakes & false info undermine UN work: comms chief

Hate speech is a launching point for crackdowns on narratives that impede UN agendas: perspective…

2 days ago

Making Sense brings strategic insight to the SIM Hartford Chapter

On June 4, technology executives gathered at the SIM Hartford chapter presided over by Fariba…

4 days ago

‘Digital disinformation undermines trust in climate & health authorities’: WHO Pan European Commission on Climate & Health

The PECCH is an attempt to persuade us into believing that climate & health policies…

6 days ago

WEF ‘Summer Davos’ in China to tackle transhumanism, AI & One Health agendas

The program agenda for the World Economic Forum's (WEF) 16th Annual Meeting of the New…

1 week ago

10 design and architecture writers to put on your radar this year

It’s easy to get caught up in the visuals—perfectly styled rooms, dramatic before-and-afters, bold architectural…

2 weeks ago