The police in Udmurtia detained the owner of an unnamed darknet service, suspected of organising contract killings. The regional Investigative Committee reported.
According to investigators, a 38-year-old resident of Izhevsk helped his clients locate hitmen across Russia, gathered information about potential victims, and procured and handed over weapons for carrying out the crimes.
At present, the detainee’s involvement in the killing of a family in Vladimir Oblast, as well as preparations for the murder of a resident of Saint Petersburg, has been established. The service owner accepted payment in cryptocurrency and through electronic wallets registered to fronts.
Searches were conducted at the suspect’s place of residence, during which police found around a thousand SIM cards and a large sum of cash.
A criminal case has been opened in connection with the murder and illicit arms trafficking.
The authorities are deciding whether to press charges and remand him in custody. He will also be checked for involvement in other similar offences.
In May, U.S. authorities arrested a resident of Tennessee suspected of organising a contract killing of his wife. He paid in bitcoin.
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