An international law enforcement operation known as “Operation Alice” has taken down more than 373,000 fake dark web sites that advertised child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and cybercrime-as-a-service (CaaS) offerings.
The investigation, led by German authorities with support from Europol, began in mid-2021 and targeted a platform called “Alice with Violence CP.” The network was allegedly operated by a 35-year-old suspect based in China, who is now the subject of an international arrest warrant.
According to officials, the sites were part of a large-scale scam that advertised fake CSAM “packages,” as well as other cybercrime services, such as stolen credit card data and access to compromised systems. Users were lured with previews and descriptions of illegal material, then prompted to submit email addresses and pay fees ranging from €17 to €250 in Bitcoin. However, no illicit content was ever delivered.
Authorities estimate that around 10,000 users were deceived into making payments, generating approximately $400,000 for the operator. Even if the platform is fake, trying to buy this kind of material is illegal in many places, the authorities warn. So far, 440 users across 23 countries have been identified, with 100 currently under active investigation.
At its peak, the operation used 287 servers, including 105 located in Germany. All have now been seized as part of the crackdown.
As part of ongoing efforts to combat exploitation, Europol has also released new images through its “Stop Child Abuse – Trace an Object” initiative, urging the public to help identify objects linked to unresolved abuse cases.
In parallel, a new digital support platform called Help4U, launched in November 2025, aims to assist young people facing sexual abuse or online harm by offering accessible guidance, information on rights, and connections to trusted support services.