Silk Road Seized By Feds, ‘Dread Pirate Roberts’ Arrested
Silk Road was seized by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The website was created to facilitate the sale and purchase of illegal drugs. In addition to shutting down the site, agents in San Francisco arrested Ross William Ulbricht.
The 29-year-old appeared in federal court this morning. Until today, he was simply known as “Dread Pirate Roberts” or “DPR.”
Ulbricht is accused of conspiracy to traffic narcotics, hack computers, and launder money. He is also charged with hiring one of his website users to kill another. The user he wanted dead reportedly threatened to expose website users’ identities.
As reported by Time, Ulbricht’s arrest was a combined effort between the FBI, state police, and New York prosecutors. In the two-year sting operation, police completed more than 100 drug transactions through the Silk Road website.
The criminal complaint states that Ulbricht “deliberately set out to establish an online criminal marketplace.” Prosecutors claim Ulbricht’s site processed over $1 billion in drug sales.
The notorious website was located on the “Deep Web.” The Deep Web is a section of the internet which is inaccessible through search engines. It can only be accessed using an anonymous browser called Tor.
As it offers anonymity, the Deep Web has become a haven for black market trade. Once granted entry, users have instant access to a number of illegal materials including drugs and child pornography.
Silk Road connected sellers and purchasers of heroin, cocaine, LSD, and methamphetamine. Before seizing the site, federal agents counted close to 13,000 current listings of drugs for sale.
In addition to the website, the FBI seized more than $3.5 million worth of the website’s digital currency.
As reported by USA Today, Ulbricht is accused of using “violent means to maintain his control of the website and the illegal proceeds it generates.”
Silk Road users will now be greeted with a stern message from the FBI. The message includes several emblems and badges. It states in bold letters “This Hidden Site has Been Seized.”
