US authorities have announced the arrest of the alleged mastermind of a notorious dark web marketplace that allowed users to buy and sell illegal drugs anonymously.
In a statement, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) said that 23-year-old Rui-siang Lin, from Taiwan, was arrested at John F. Kennedy Airport on May 18 and subsequently charged for allegedly owning and operating Incognito Market under the pseudonym “Pharoah” or “Faro.”
The DOJ says Incognito sold more than $100 million worth of illegal drugs and prescription medications from its inception in October 2020 until its closure in March 2024. Users around the world are also believed to have sold cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC) and Monero (XMR ) to conduct transactions on the illegal marketplace.
Says Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Assistant Director James Smith
“For nearly four years, Rui-Siang Lin allegedly operated ‘Incognito Market,’ one of the largest online narcotics sales platforms, conducting $100 million in illegal narcotics transactions and raking in millions of dollars in personal profits. Under the promise of anonymity, Lin’s alleged operation facilitated the purchase of lethal drugs and fraudulent prescription drugs on a global scale.”
Lin would have had ultimate decision-making power over every aspect of Incognito’s operation. It is also said that he controlled more than 1,000 suppliers and more than 200,000 customers.
Reads the complaint filed by FBI Task Force Officer Mark Rubins,
“As main manager of Marktplaats-1, LIN benefits most from the activities of Marktplaats-1. LIN also implements site policies and ultimately determines whether a particular seller is allowed to sell narcotics on Marktplaats-1.”
Lin is charged with one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, one count of narcotics conspiracy, one count of money laundering and one count of conspiracy to sell counterfeit and misbranded drugs.
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