The Dutch police have launched a second investigation into murder orders targeting ordinary citizens on the dark web.
The Dutch police have opened a second criminal investigation into murder-for-hire requests made via the dark web, expanding the previous investigation in Rotterdam to include a murder request for a suspect in East Holland (Oost-Holland). Authorities confirmed that the targeted victims in both cases are ordinary citizens with no known criminal background.
The new investigation comes after RTL Nieuws reports revealed earlier that at least seven murder requests targeted individuals in the Netherlands via a dark web site claiming to arrange killings for cryptocurrency. The police stated that they are currently searching for the person who made the murder request in the eastern part of the country, alongside the ongoing investigation in Rotterdam.
According to RTL Nieuws reports, the site contains extremely disturbing materials including names, photos, and addresses of Dutch citizens, accompanied by violent and explicit instructions. The messages reportedly included demands to burn the victim alive or to ensure that no child was present during the shooting. Although authorities and journalists say that the site is actually a scam and no murders have been carried out, making a murder request is still a serious criminal offense.
Yup Heijnen, spokesperson for the Oost-Nederland police, confirmed the seriousness of the crime, explaining that a request for murder can lead to a significant prison sentence. He stated that investigators are actively following the evidence, despite the difficulty of tracking payments through cryptocurrencies. The police in Rotterdam added that the digital and international nature of the cases makes investigations lengthy and complex.
One of the targeted victims, identified as Yirum for security reasons, said he was informed earlier this year by the Rotterdam-Rijnmond police that a murder request had been made against him. He described living in constant fear and anxiety, stating that the experience halted his life and made him socially isolated. He added that the horror of the instructions, which included amputations and burning, still haunts him, and he remains vigilant for any unusual activity in his area.
The dark web site, which previously operated under names like 'Colombian Hitmen' and 'Besa Mafia', claims to be able to carry out killings anywhere in the world for sufficient payments in Bitcoin. British hacker Chris Monteiro has repeatedly hacked the site and obtained hundreds of alleged murder requests from around the world, including Dutch cases that he later shared with RTL Nieuws. Among seven specific Dutch cases, four involved upfront payments of thousands of euros. Investigations into two cases are still active, one of which led to a conviction in The Hague in 2021, while another case from Breda was closed. Despite the revelations, the site remains available online, and its anonymous operator continues to deny that users are being scammed.