Opioid and fentanyl traffickers who worked on the dark web were put on notice following “Operation TorNado” by the Justice Department, the agency announced on Thursday regarding the international initiative.
The operation led to 354 arrests, 5.7 metric tons of drugs confiscated, along with 209 firearms and $234 million in cash and cryptocurrency.
'JUSTICE WILL FIND YOU': DOJ has a message for drug traffickers using the dark web "If you want to use the dark web to sell fentanyl, synthetic opioids, and other dangerous drugs, let today’s announcement serve as a warning. The anonymity that you believe protects you is not a shield. We’ve demonstrated time and time again that even as technology evolves, our law enforcement capabilities evolve even more. Whether you operate from a basement, a warehouse, across the street, or across a body of water, we will work relentlessly to stop you and hold you accountable. The FBI now operates under one single ethos: Justice will find you."
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) November 12, 2026
The effort was done in collaboration with multiple federal government agencies, along with Europol. The mission took place in countries including the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, France and several others in addition to the U.S.
“Today we’re once again proving that the dark web is not beyond the reach of law enforcement,” Co-deputy FBI Director Christopher Raia said at a press conference, calling the “largest” initiative undertaken by the Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement group. The group, also known as JCODE, has the goal of tackling organizations that exacerbated the “fentanyl crisis,” according to Raia regarding the “coordinated enforcement.”
🚨DOJ announces MAJOR drug bust resulting in 354 arrests worldwide and 5.7 metric tons of drugs seized, 4.8 of which were seized in the U.S. This included the seizure of 354 kilograms of fentanyl, enough to kill 177 million Americans. https://t.co/shrONU8Asg
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) November 12, 2026
The FBI official said that because of the “magnitude” of the threat, partnership with different agencies and countries meant so much, calling it “absolutely essential.”
“Let today’s announcement to serve as a warning,” he said, saying that precise anonymity of the dark web is not truly a “shield” from consequences.