Main Takeaways
Binance assisted Brazil’s Civil Police in an 18-month investigation that disrupted a R$164 million ($30 million) money laundering operation tied to the dark web.
Our Special Investigations team helped identify suspicious crypto activity and connect it to real-world criminal actors.
This successful operation underscores the importance of strong partnerships in safeguarding the crypto ecosystem.
Brazilian law enforcement has taken down a sophisticated cybercrime group responsible for laundering over R$164 million (approx. $30 million), with critical investigative support from Binance. Operation Deep Hunt, led by the Civil Police of Goiás State, targeted a network that trafficked stolen banking data and forged documents on the dark web, using digital assets to mask the origins of illicit funds.
Over an 18-month investigation, Binance worked closely with Brazil’s State Cybercrime Repression Police Department (DERCC), Signals Intelligence Management, and the Anti-Money Laundering Technology Lab to trace suspicious crypto transactions. The result: a coordinated crackdown that led to 41 arrests and the seizure of criminal infrastructure across eight cities.
Shedding Light on Dark Web Activity
The dismantled network had deep ties to illegal dark web marketplaces, where banking credentials, cloned credit cards, and falsified IDs were openly traded. The group funneled illicit proceeds through a complex laundering system involving anonymization techniques, fragmented transfers, and front accounts designed to obscure the money trail.
Binance’s Special Investigations team played a vital role in surfacing and analyzing crypto transactions connected to the scheme. Our intelligence helped connect dark web activity to real-world entities, bridging the information gap between on-chain data and off-chain enforcement.
“Binance’s support was essential to the success of this case,” said Police Chief Bárbara Buttini, who led the operation. Her colleague, Chief Vytautas Zumas, added: “The collaboration with Binance brought a new level of effectiveness to our investigation.”
Strengthening Trust Through Responsible Action
On July 10, more than 180 officers executed 41 arrest warrants and 43 search and seizure orders across Goiás, the Federal District, and Rio de Janeiro. Authorities seized forged documents, card machines, drugs, weapons, and other criminal tools used by the organization.
At Binance, we believe that protecting users and preserving trust in the crypto ecosystem means taking an active role in preventing misuse. “We’re proud to support Brazilian law enforcement in fighting the criminal use of digital assets,” said Guilherme Nazar, Binance’s Head of Latin America. “Cases like this are a reminder that crypto adoption must go hand-in-hand with strong compliance, user protection, and proactive enforcement.”
Our involvement in Operation Deep Hunt reflects our broader approach: proactively assisting authorities with real-time intelligence and analytics support, working collaboratively toward our shared goal of securing the digital future.
Final Thoughts
Operation Deep Hunt is an example of how effective cooperation between private platforms and law enforcement can stop bad actors and disrupt illicit networks. This hands-on approach is part of Binance’s wider effort to raise security standards across the industry.
Over the past eight years, we’ve responded to more than 240,000 law enforcement requests and conducted over 400 training sessions for investigative agencies worldwide. These efforts help authorities recover stolen assets, dismantle criminal infrastructure, and apply blockchain’s transparency in the service of justice. We will continue to invest in partnerships that make the ecosystem safer for everyone.
