Thai Police Arrest German National For Selling CSAM in the Dark Web Based on Tip from HSI

Last week, Thai authorities arrested a German national, identified only as “Steffen,” for operating a dark web platform that facilitated the sale of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) in exchange for cryptocurrency. The site offered users access to illicit content in return for payments in Bitcoin and Monero.

The arrest followed a referral from US Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to the Royal Thai Police, marking another example of effective cross-border collaboration in the fight against online child exploitation. The Thai Central Investigation Bureau’s Technology Crime Suppression Division (CIB-TCSD) seized multiple electronic devices during the arrest and worked alongside HSI to trace blockchain transactions from website users through intermediaries to cash-out points on international exchanges. Authorities report that Steffen earned more than USD 100,000 through the operation.

The takedown of this darknet CSAM operation shows the impact of dedicated law enforcement, cross-border collaboration and blockchain intelligence in protecting vulnerable communities and holding perpetrators accountable. This case highlights the importance of partnerships between US and Thai law enforcement, and the critical role of cryptocurrency tracing in uncovering global abuse networks.

TRM Labs remains committed to supporting HSI, the Royal Thai Police, and law enforcement agencies around the world in their mission to dismantle CSAM networks, disrupt crypto-facilitated abuse, and bring perpetrators to justice.