In this day and age of emerging technologies, law enforcement officials have to go out on a limb if they want to bring crime to a halt. Europol, Europe’s most prominent law enforcement agency, enlisted the help of a darknet “specialist” to address drug trafficking. A rather unusual development that highlights the need for insider knowledge to nip these crimes in the bud.
What On Earth is A Darknet Specialist?
That seems to be the first and foremost question when hearing about Europol’s new plans. This expert is a former commissioner who used to work for the Stockholm police. Lennart Ericsson, as this person is called, will focus all of his attention on fighting deep web crime. To be more precise, his primary objective will be to identify online drug trades.
It has to be said, being labeled as a “darknet specialist” is rather unique. Even though law enforcement agencies have been paying more attention to the deep web than ever before, it is the first time we hear of specialists in the field. Europol is trying to thwart deep web crime, but they need all the help they can get.
One thing favoring Europol as an organization is how all units across 28 member states seem to work together flawlessly. With little to no animosity or miscommunication, Europol may be positioned the best to fight darknet crime moving forward. Moreover, everyone seems to be motivated to make this venture a success, which goes a long way.
If there is one thing holding back more darknet arrests, it is the fact how crafty criminals have gotten in recent years. Moreover, the number of gangs – and even terrorist groups – active in the deep web is of grave concern. Considering how the deep web is known for anonymity, the job of organizations such as Europol only becomes more difficult over time.
It appears the acquisition of this darknet specialist is a direct result of the agency’s Operation Daylight, which took place a few weeks ago. During that operation, 75 child porn ring members were arrested. Moreover, a total of 206 open cases is still pending as part of this investigation. Having a specialist on their side will help the agency bring crime to a halt over time, although the road ahead is long and contains many pitfalls.
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