Black market website operator arrested in Germany on European warrant

BERLIN – German police say they’ve arrested a 21-year-old man on a European warrant on allegations he ran a website used to facilitate illegal drug and weapons sales and other criminal activity.

Federal police said Thursday the man was arrested Tuesday in Bad Nauheim, near Frankfurt, on charges of computer fraud, membership in a criminal organization and drug violations. The European warrant was issued by the Netherlands and three other suspects were arrested there.

Police say the suspect, whose name wasn’t released, helped develop and administrate the illegal online Internet portal Black Market Reloaded and its successor Utopia. Among items seized in his arrest was a virtual Bitcoin wallet with 500,000 euros ($680,000) worth of the electronic currency.

Authorities say the website brought buyers and sellers together to sell black market goods.