Australian "darknet" users tracked down and put on notice by police

Australians who have used the internet to access "darknet" websites have been put on notice by authorities.

Michael Keenan, Australia's Minister for Justice, said on Wednesday that a joint operation by Australia's foremost law enforcement agencies, notably the Australian Federal Police (AFP), in late October identified 20 people in Australia who had been accessing the illegal websites.

Of the 20, four were arrested immediately, six were issued with summons to appear in court and the rest were issued with strict warnings not to use the websites again.

Keenan said the network of websites, which can be used for a host of illegal activities, including the buying and selling of drugs and weapons, posed a significant threat to the Australian public.

"The use of the darknet by criminal syndicates is a concern for all countries and this operation highlights the importance of international co-operation in combating this method of sourcing illicit items," Keenan said in comments published by the Australian media on Wednesday.

"Australians can rest assured that our law enforcement agencies and their international partners are committed to targeting illicit drug trafficking by organized crime groups on every scale, from large multi-million dollar bulk shipments to small packages sent via 'scatter importation' methods through mail and cargo services," said Keenan.

These shipments help drive the supply of the Australian (drug) market and exacerbate social problems within our communities, particularly those associated with ice and similar substances, according to the minister.

In April, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced a 175 million US dollar commitment to 33 new initiatives to improve Australia's cybersecurity. Endit