In a sweeping victory for law and order under President Donald Trump's leadership, the Department of Justice (DOJ), in collaboration with the FBI and international partners, has conducted the most extensive crackdown on darknet criminal activity in history—striking a major blow against global drug trafficking operations.

The DOJ announced Thursday that Operation RapTor, an initiative led by Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) task force, resulted in the arrest of 270 suspects involved in illicit drug sales and administration on the dark web. The arrests spanned across multiple nations—including the United States, the United Kingdom, Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.

This unprecedented operation yielded a massive haul: over $200 million in cash and digital assets, two metric tons of narcotics, 144 kilograms of fentanyl or fentanyl-laced substances, and more than 180 firearms—making it the largest seizure of its kind in JCODE’s history.

“This historic international seizure of firearms, deadly drugs, and illegal funds will save lives,” said Bondi. “Criminals cannot hide behind computer screens or seek refuge on the dark web – this Justice Department will identify and eliminate threats to the American people regardless of where they originate.”

Under the bold directive of President Trump’s DOJ, law enforcement is reclaiming control from digital underworlds that profit from human misery. FBI Director Kash Patel echoed that sentiment, condemning the traffickers who use the internet to harm American families.

“By cowardly hiding online, these traffickers have wreaked havoc across our country and directly fueled the fentanyl crisis and gun violence impacting our American communities and neighborhoods. But the ease and accessibility of their crimes ends today,” Patel stated.

“The FBI could not do this work without our partners both at home and abroad, and the staggering success of this year’s record-breaking amount of fentanyl, guns, and drugs seized prove that our efforts are working,” he continued. “Anyone looking to anonymously harm our citizens through illicit darknet trafficking: your days of recklessness are numbered.”

Robert Murphy, Acting Administrator of the DEA, reinforced the message that the U.S. and its allies will not tolerate digital safe havens for drug dealers and traffickers.

“These predators who peddled poison on the dark web might have thought they are untouchable — hiding behind screens, pushing fentanyl, fueling overdoses, and cashing in on misery. However, Operation RapTor just proved them wrong.”

“DEA and our global partners reached across borders, across platforms, and across currencies to rip their networks apart. Let this stand as a warning: no mask, no marketplace, and no digital wallet can hide you from facing justice,” Murphy added.

The international effort included coordination across law enforcement agencies in Europe, South America, and Asia, all united in a shared goal of dismantling digital marketplaces that peddle poison to Americans and others worldwide.

Operation RapTor builds on the DOJ’s momentum from earlier victories, including the takedown of infamous darknet marketplaces such as Nemesis, Tor2Door, Bohemia, and Kingdom Market. These previous busts have provided valuable leads and critical intelligence, propelling this latest wave of enforcement.

JCODE and Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) are continuing to build sophisticated intelligence networks designed to expose and prosecute the criminals hiding behind screens and pseudonyms.

“Operation RapTor shows that the dark web is not beyond the reach of law enforcement,” said Edvardas Šileris, Head of Europol’s EC3. “Through close cooperation and intelligence sharing, officers across three continents identified and arrested suspects, sending a clear message to those who think they can hide in the shadows.

“Europol will continue working with our partners to make the internet safer for everyone,” Šileris concluded.

Todd Lyons, Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), emphasized that the supposed anonymity of cybercriminals is a myth in today’s world of global cooperation and advanced digital forensics.

“This record-breaking operation sends a clear message to every trafficker hiding behind a screen—your anonymity ends where our global reach begins,” Lyons stated.

“Thanks to the unwavering efforts by ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Europol, and our international partners, we’re cracking the code of the so-called ‘safe spaces’ for cybercriminals—they are in our sights and we’re not backing down.”

As the opioid crisis continues to plague American families, this latest action demonstrates the Trump administration’s commitment to restoring law and order, securing our borders—both physical and digital—and protecting the lives of American citizens from the scourge of fentanyl and organized crime.