An online platform known for facilitating various crimes was taken down by the French authorities, in cooperation with Bulgaria, Germany Lithuania, the Netherlands and Hungary. The authorities had been investigating the digital platform since December 2023. During an action day on 24 June the servers located in Germany were seized and disconnected and over EUR 5.6 million of criminal funds were frozen.
The website was used for many years to facilitate a range of criminal activities, in particular for child pornography, sexual exploitation, drug dealing, ambushes and even homicides. Criminals were able to send messages and connect with other criminals active in their criminal activities.
Since 2021, more than 23 000 judicial procedures have been initiated involving the online platform. At least 480 victims of the platform have been heard during these judicial procedures. Investigations into the platform were started by French authorities in December 2023. These investigations showed that the platform was concealing and facilitating transactions for organised crime groups and was enabling criminal activities such as pimping and paedophilia.
A coordinated action to take down the website was carried out with the full support of Eurojust. The authorities seized the servers located in Germany, which resulted in the platform being disconnected and the display of a splash page. The Lithuanian and Hungarian authorities ensured the swift execution of freezing orders, which led to the freezing of over EUR 5.6 million in criminal funds.
At the same time, a European Investigation Order (EIO), issued from France, was successfully executed in Bulgaria. All investigative actions have been carried out in presence of French magistrates and officials from the Law enforcement authorities of France upon authorisation by the competent Bulgarian authorities. As part of the execution of the EIO, bank statements were revealed, searches and seizures were carried out and witnesses were questioned.
The actions were carried out by the following authorities:
- France: PPO Paris JUNALCO (National Jurisdiction against organised Crime) Cybercrime Unit; Gendarmerie Nationale – Cybercrime unit; ONAF (Anti Fraud National Office)
- Bulgaria: Sofia City PPO and General Police Directorate Combating Organised Crime
- Germany: Public Prosecutor’s Office Limburg; Hessian State Criminal Police Office
- Hungary: Budapest IX. District Public Prosecutor’s Office
- Lithuania: Vilnius Regional Prosecutor’s Office
- The Netherlands: Public Prosecutor’s Office Amsterdam
Eurojust is an agency of the European Union