U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), through its Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) division, has been engaged in monitoring and intervening in activities on the Darknet for over a decade. This involvement has shifted over time, from responding to individual cases to more coordinated efforts involving multiple agencies and international partners.
Evolution of Involvement
ICE’s engagement with Darknet investigations began around 2011 with cases such as Operation Dime Store, which focused on drug trafficking on platforms including Silk Road. This represented a notable expansion into the online environment, as such marketplaces grew in prominence. Since then, ICE has been involved in multiple large-scale actions targeting Darknet platforms.
From 2020 onward, ICE participated in joint operations such as Operation DisrupTor and Operation Dark HunTor, aimed at dismantling marketplaces associated with opioid trafficking and other activities. These efforts relied heavily on cooperation with other agencies, including Europol, and incorporated both cyber tools and traditional investigative techniques.
Recent Operations: Operation RapTor
In May 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), through its Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) division, took part in Operation RapTor, a coordinated global effort led by Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre. The operation involved law enforcement agencies across multiple continents, including Europe, South America, Asia, and North America. ICE’s role was part of a broader, multinational initiative aimed at targeting activity on the Darknet, particularly marketplaces suspected of hosting illicit transactions.
Scope and Outcomes
Operation RapTor resulted in large-scale seizures and arrests. Reports indicate that law enforcement recovered over $200 million in both currency and digital assets, along with more than two metric tons of drugs, including 144 kilograms of fentanyl or fentanyl-laced substances, and over 180 firearms. Authorities arrested 270 individuals across various countries, including the United States, Germany, France, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. The operation also involved dismantling several notable darknet marketplaces, such as Nemesis, Tor2Door, Bohemia, and Kingdom Markets. These takedowns reportedly provided investigative leads and technical data that law enforcement agencies could use in ongoing cases.
Methods, Physical Involvement, and Collaborations
ICE investigations on the Darknet combine undercover work, digital analysis, physical enforcement, and partnerships with other agencies such as the FBI, DEA, and Europol. Investigations often begin online with the identification of vendors, marketplaces, and transaction patterns, and then extend into physical enforcement once suspects or shipments are located. This can involve intercepting packages at mail hubs or in transit, conducting surveillance, making arrests, and seizing tangible assets such as cash, vehicles, drugs, firearms, or equipment linked to darknet activity.
For example, in 2023, ICE New York led an operation that included both digital investigation and the physical seizure of assets, resulting in multiple arrests tied to darknet activity. A recurring feature of ICE’s approach is its participation in the Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) team, which coordinates across multiple agencies to address opioid-related trafficking and other darknet activity. These collaborative efforts have led to the closure of darknet marketplaces and the arrest of hundreds of individuals worldwide, involving both cyber operations and physical enforcement measures.
Recent Trends and Implications
In 2025, ICE announced Operation RapTOR, a coordinated effort that led to further seizures and arrests. At the same time, shifts in policy within the Department of Homeland Security are reportedly placing more emphasis on immigration enforcement. This could affect how much focus and resources ICE dedicates to cybercrime investigations in the future. For anyone operating on or exploring the Darknet, ICE’s actions illustrate that these spaces are subject to sustained scrutiny and need to be used with caution and education.
0 Comments