Seven suspects have appeared in court charged with drug offences using the Dark Web to facilitate the distribution of Class A and Class B drugs.

Nine warrants were executed as part of a proactive operation targeting criminals by the Cyber Crime Unit, in north east London, Manchester, Sussex and Hertfordshire.

The names of those charged with three counts of conspiracy to supply Class A and Class B drugs:

– Hassan Patel, 34, of Waterhouse Street, Rochdale, Manchester.

– Mohammed Zamurrad, 35, of Brighton Road, Crawley.

– Askin Aktas, 41 of Walthamstow.

– Apostolos Zgkouris, 29, of Enfield is additionally charged with producing a Class B drug.

The names of those charged with supply and possession of Class A drugs.

– Giannis Foukis, 39, of Windmill Hill, Enfield is charged with five counts to supply, four counts of possession and one count of possessing criminal property.

– Nikolin Tarousa, 36, of Northlands, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire is charged with two counts to supply, one count of possession and one count of possessing criminal property.

– Thomas Kapouranis, 26, of Northlands, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire is charged with two counts to supply and one count of possession.

They appeared at Stratford Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 27 October.

And will next appear at Wood Green Crown Court on Wednesday, 30 November 2022.

Who are Cyber Crime Agency

Operational activity over the last six months – coordinated by the National Crime Agency in collaboration with UK policing partners – also resulted in the seizure of over £220,000 in suspected criminal cash and bitcoin, and more than 50 kilos of cocaine, MDMA, cannabis, methamphetamine and ketamine.