Multiple suspects charged in dark web drug trafficking network: Ontario RCMP

Seven people have been arrested in what police describe as one of the largest known dark web drug trafficking operations in Canadian history, the RCMP announced Thursday.

The RCMP said the investigation began after a “takedown” of a dark web marketplace by German authorities, who contacted the force about several alleged Canadian-based users linked to drug trafficking.

The Mounties said data analysis identified a suspected Canadian-based drug vendor known as “RoadRunna,” which police described as a “sophisticated criminal enterprise” that used dark web platforms to distribute drugs in Canada.

The dark web is a hidden and encrypted part of internet inaccessible by regular search engines, the RCMP said, and it’s often used to facilitate criminal activity such as the sale of illegal drugs.

“Further investigation into the drug trafficking network revealed multiple individuals directly involved in the operation, which was responsible for shipping around 400 packages weekly across the country,” the force said in a press release.

The RCMP said seven suspects from the Greater Toronto Area, ranging in age from 30 to 46, have been charged with drug trafficking offences.

Police said they also executed several search warrants that led to the seizure of 75 kilograms of narcotics, drug distribution materials, 10,000 prescription and non-prescription pills, among other items.

The RCMP said a single dark web vendor can distribute “significant quantities” of drugs across the country by exploiting mail services. Dark web transactions are primarily done by cryptocurrency in an attempt to hide identities and financial trails, police said.

RCMP Insp. Nicole Noonan said the force worked with domestic and international partners in this investigation.

“Criminals are finding increasingly sophisticated and modern ways to evade the law, but we will continue to identify, disrupt, and dismantle these types of networks,” she said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 25, 2025.