Authorities Seize Dark Web Marketplaces Sipulitie and Tsätti

Finnish Customs and Swedish Police, with Bitdefender’s support, shut down dark web marketplaces Sipulitie and Tsätti. These platforms facilitated the illegal drug trade, generating millions in illicit sales.

Finnish Customs, in collaboration with the Swedish Police and international law enforcement agencies, successfully shut down the dark web marketplaces Sipulitie and Tsätti. The operation also benefited from partnerships with private sector entities, including cybersecurity firm Bitdefender.

Sipulitie, which was launched in February 2023, operated on the Tor network, providing a hidden platform for users to trade narcotics anonymously. The marketplace, accessible in both Finnish and English, reportedly generated an estimated 1.3 million euros in sales, according to its administrator. This closure follows the 2020 shutdown of Sipulimarket, a predecessor site that raked in over two million euros through illicit drug sales.

In a press release, Hannu Sinkkonen, Director of Enforcement at Finnish Customs, emphasized the importance of international cooperation in combating dark web crime. “Over the years, we at Finnish Customs have intervened effectively using many different methods in the criminal activities taking place on the dark web,” Sinkkonen stated. “Seamless cooperation between the authorities at both the national and international levels plays a crucial role in combating online crime.”

The investigation into Sipulitie revealed that the administrator behind the shuttered Sipulimarket had resurfaced with the new platform. Authorities suspect the same individual also managed Tsätti, a chat-based drug sales site launched in 2022. Law enforcement has identified not only the administrator but also individuals who supported the operations, including moderators and customer service agents.

Additionally, the seized digital evidence has allowed investigators to trace and identify numerous buyers and sellers who engaged in transactions on Sipulitie.

Screenshot from the seized marketplace

Alex Cosoi, Chief Security Strategist at Bitdefender, highlighted this synergy: “This operation exemplifies the power of collaboration between the public and private security sector in dismantling illegal online activities, in this case, markets that sold large amounts of narcotics.” Cosoi also noted the broader message sent to criminals who believe the dark web offers guaranteed anonymity: “If they become the target of an international effort, they can’t hide.”

As the preliminary investigation continues, the closure of Sipulitie and Tsätti is a major achievement in the fight against dark web-enabled criminal activities.