Operation Deep Sentinel: European Crackdown Dismantles Longest-Running Dark Web Drug Market ‘Archetyp’

• Archetyp Market is now defunct owing to a global operation targeting its administrator and moderators.
• Authorities also apprehended high-ranking vendors and took down the market’s infrastructure.
• Additional assets worth approximately $9 million were also seized.

Law enforcement agencies across Europe have executed a major coordinated operation to dismantle Archetyp Market, the longest-standing dark web marketplace. The takedown targeted the platform’s administrator, moderators, top vendors, and technical infrastructure.

The operation culminated in the seizure of infrastructure in the Netherlands and the arrest of the alleged administrator, a 30-year-old German national, in Barcelona, Spain. 

Additionally, a moderator and six high-ranking vendors in Germany and Sweden were apprehended, with assets worth €7.8 million (approximately $9 million) seized.

The multi-nation effort, carried out between June 11-13, 2025, was supported by Europol and Eurojust and spanned six countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and the United States, involving approximately 300 officers. 

Archetyp Market had been operational for over five years, accommodating more than 600,000 users and facilitating transactions valued at a minimum of €250 million ($290 million). 

The platform hosted over 17,000 listings, including fentanyl, cocaine, MDMA, and other high-potency synthetic drugs, contributing significantly to the proliferation of illicit drugs in Europe and globally.

Regarded for its resilience and reputation within criminal circles, Archetyp Market has now joined the ranks of defunct darknet marketplaces like Silk Road and Dream Market. 

Authorities highlighted the extensive investigative work required to dismantle the market, including mapping its technical infrastructure, tracing financial flows, and utilizing digital forensic analysis.

The German authorities led the operation, with critical coordination provided by Europol and Eurojust. Europol facilitated information-sharing through strategic meetings, while Eurojust oversaw the execution of mutual legal assistance requests and European Investigation Orders.

A shutdown banner has replaced the marketplace, and additional information, including a video aimed at discouraging underground criminal activity, is available.