Students seem to have a tendency for getting involved in illegal activity during their young adult life. One Victoria University student has been arrested and charged for running a deep web marketplace. It is doubtful he will face a similar sentence to Ross Ulbricht, although we won’t know for sure until this coming Friday.
Vic Underworld Darknet Market Owner Arrested
Although it remains unknown how attractive the Vic Underworld market was at its peak, the darknet platform was shut down for good a few days ago. During October 22 and 28, law enforcement officials from all over the world shut down several websites advertising drug trades. Vic Underworld, also known as NZ Underworld, is one of those platforms that is no longer accessible.
During this operation, police official also succeeded in arresting the Vic Underworld owner. An unidentified 22-year-old male was detained and charged with running a deep web marketplace used to trade drugs. Preliminary reports seem to indicate the site owner was a student at Victoria University, and he is one of six people arrested worldwide during this operation.
At one point, Vic Underworld seems well underway to become the new Silk Road. Bitcoin users will recall how Ross Ulbricht was charged with life without parole for running that platform. It is doubtful the Vic Underworld owner will receive a similar sentence, though, as Ulbricht was made an example of during a crooked investigation.
The number of darknet users continues to increase, even though law enforcement agents are getting better at identifying individuals. So far over 300 people have been questioned for their alleged involvement in deep web activity. More arrests and inquiries are expected to follow in the coming months.
It is evident darknet drug trafficking is a serious offense, and law enforcement officials are not hesitant to crack down on this activity. The number of arrests is mounting all over the world. Many people – mainly students – are lured to the deep web as they see potential to make a lot of money anonymously. But if there’s one thing history taught us, it is how darknet users are anything but anonymous these days.
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