Black Market Website Alphabay Closed Down

Alphabay, one of the world's largest online websites dealing in illicit items has been closed by police.

The site had some 200,000 members, offering drugs, fake goods, guns, hacking tools and a variety of scams, and was utilised by over 40,000 vendors.

Alphabay was managed by Alexandre Cazes, a Canadian expat living in Bangkok.

The site rose in popularity following the closure of another site offering similar items, known as "Silk Road", which was launched on February 2013. It was very successful until the FBI shut it down two years later.

Mr Cazes, had enjoyed a privileged lifestyle in Thailand, driving four luxury sports cars and owning three properties.

He was arrested on July 5th and was due to be extradited to the to the USA, where he faced charges of money laundering and drug trafficking.

However, the accused was found dead in his cell at the Narcotics Suppression Bureau headquarters.

Police said Cazes committed suicide by hanging himself.

Source: Thai Visa