A court in the Netherlands convicted two men for distributing MDMA and ecstasy pills on the Dark Web. Both men were 23 years old and attended the University of Amsterdam during their drug selling operation. Mike W. and Thijs V. were found guilty on these drug charges and both men received 6 years in prison for their crimes.
Early in 2017, due to a traffic stop, the men were found to be in possession of ecstasy pills and MDMA powder. The drugs were found in the car disguised within food containers, which led authorities to obtain a search warrant for their homes. A mountain of evidence was found at the homes of the defendants including large amounts of money earned from their illicit activities as well as more drugs.
Evidence found led authorities to discover the pair had been selling ecstasy, MDMA, and other illegal substances on the Dark Web. The anonymous cryptocurrency bitcoin was used in all the transactions as well.
Over a period of 8 months, the men approximately sold more than $470k worth of drugs on the Dark Web. They also used inconspicuous food containers and other items to disguise the drugs for shipment in the mail.
Their defense lawyers tried to claim the men had no idea they were selling drugs because they were hidden in the “normal” items. The judge saw right through this excuse and proceeded to sentence them to six years in prison.
The defendants also tried to plead with the court for leniency citing their young age, lack of criminal history, and because they were currently enrolled in school at the University of Amsterdam. In previous hearings, money laundering charges were also brought up during proceedings but were not pursued by the court.