People who fight crime on a regular basis should never be the ones arrested for buying illegal goods on the Internet. A Belgian policeman has been arrested for purchasing weapons and explosives from the dark net. He is also charged with two counts of attempted murder. Another clear example of how screening tests for law enforcement officials will need to change sooner than later.
The policeman, who works in the Charleroi office, was arrested earlier this week. An investigation against him was launched when a package containing weapons and explosives, shipped to his address, was intercepted by foreign intelligence services. Apparently, these products were purchased on the darknet, where criminals buy their illicit goods.
Charleroi Agent Buys From The Darknet
A total of two different warrants were issued fro Thomas V. of Charleroi Belgium. Keeping in mind how he was part of a security and intelligence group based in Belgium, these charges are quite severe. One warrant was for illegally importing weapons, whereas the other carries two charges of attempted murder.
According to several sources, Thomas V. planned to assassinate the two boyfriends of his ex-girlfriends. With the number of weapons confiscated during the raid at his house, he could have armed a small militia. The fact he also ordered explosives from the darknet is only making things even more complicated.
What is very disconcerting is how a law enforcement official decides to purchase weapons and explosives from the darknet. While it is true these people know exactly how the deep web works and what they can do to hide their tracks, that does not mean they will not get arrested eventually. Thankfully, this happened before significant harm was done by the Charleroi agent.
Unfortunately, law enforcement officials do not have the best track record of dealing with dark web platforms. During the Silk Road case, not one but two law enforcement agents stole bitcoins during the trial. Now that other agencies are turning to the deep web to buy illegal goods, things have taken a turn for the worse.
It is good to see postal offices paying closer attention to international shipments right now. The darknet is becoming more popular than ever, and there are plenty of illegal goods and services for sale. Apparently, not even those fighting crime can resist the allure of these underground marketplaces.
Source: Brussels Times
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