A dark web marketplace responsible for millions of pounds in illegal drug transactions has been taken down following an undercover operation by the Metropolitan Police.
The site, called AEGIS Marketplace, first came to the attention of the Met's Cyber Crime Unit in June 2025. It operated as a platform where individual vendors could list drugs for sale, with buyers paying via cryptocurrency.
By March 2026, the marketplace had grown to include 30 active sellers and was believed to have facilitated roughly 10,000 drug transactions over the course of ten months, generating an estimated annual turnover close to £2 million.
Officers successfully infiltrated the platform and obtained server data, which enabled them to identify site administrators, sellers, and customers. Anyone attempting to visit the site now encounters a banner reading "this website has been seized." Investigators are continuing to work through the data with the aim of bringing prosecutions against those involved.
Will Lyne, who heads the Met's Economic and Cyber Crime division, said the operation demonstrated the force's commitment to dismantling complex digital platforms and disrupting criminal networks. He warned that offenders who believe the dark web offers them a shield from law enforcement should reconsider.
The takedown comes amid a broader wave of international cybercrime enforcement actions in recent months, including operations targeting stolen data forums and large-scale phishing networks across dozens of countries.
