Milomir Desnica, a 33-year-old Serbian man, pleaded guilty to operating the darknet drug trafficking platform Monopoly Market, which facilitated the sale of various drugs, including opioids, stimulants, psychedelics, and prescription medications.
Desnica allegedly amassed approximately $18 million in worldwide narcotics sales, with over 30 kilograms of methamphetamine sold to U.S. customers. The Department of Justice disclosed that he faces a potential maximum sentence of life imprisonment and financial penalties, with his sentencing scheduled for February in the District of Columbia.
The 2021 takedown of Monopoly Market marked one of the most significant law enforcement actions against a darknet marketplace, resulting in the arrests of 288 vendors, surpassing the figures from previous market takedowns.
German and Finnish law enforcement seized the computer server hosting Monopoly, taking it offline and seizing more than $53.4 million in cash and virtual currencies, along with 850 kilograms of drugs. Desnica, arrested in Austria in November and extradited to the U.S. last June, is accused of using cryptocurrency exchange services to launder his illicit proceeds, selling the cryptocurrency to Serbia-based peer-to-peer traders to convert it into fiat currency.
Milomir Desnica’s guilty plea sheds light on the intricate operations of darknet drug trafficking, emphasizing the global impact of platforms like Monopoly Market.
The coordinated efforts of international law enforcement in dismantling such networks showcase the ongoing challenges and successes in combating illicit activities on the dark web. Desnica’s case underscores the serious legal consequences faced by individuals involved in orchestrating large-scale drug trafficking operations through anonymous online platforms.
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