A major international cybercrime operation led by Europol has dismantled a vast network of fake child exploitation websites operating across the dark web, marking one of the largest coordinated takedowns in recent years.
According to investigators, the operation resulted in the shutdown of over 373,000 websites, the seizure of more than 100 servers and digital devices, and the identification of hundreds of cybercriminals and facilitators connected to the network.
The platform, which operated under a complex web of hidden services, falsely advertised illegal content and cybercrime-as-a-service (CaaS) offerings to users worldwide. Customers were charged between $20 and $250 for access to so-called content “packages,” but authorities confirmed the entire scheme was a scam, with victims receiving nothing after payment.
Despite this, the operator reportedly generated approximately $400,000 from over 10,000 users, exploiting demand while avoiding detection for several years.
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