[Back to Hansa covert takeover and shutdown](https://takedownindex.org/takedowns/hansa-covert-takeover-and-shutdown)

Operation Bayonet

# Organizations and roles

June 2017, Darknet market
[Hansa covert takeover and shutdown](https://takedownindex.org/takedowns/hansa-covert-takeover-and-shutdown)

Last reviewed August 21, 2026

The public record puts 4 organizations on this action. Operational lead: Dutch National Police. The table lists the role the cited record assigns each one, in the record's own wording where it gives any.

## Why this page names organizations only

Roles on this page describe the agencies that took part. Individuals named in the public record appear on the takedown entry itself, under People and accountability.

## Organizations and roles

| Emblem | Organization | Role | What the record says |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| | [Politie (Netherlands National Police)](https://takedownindex.org/organizations/politie-netherlands-national-police), Netherlands | Operational lead | Covertly assumed control of and operated the marketplace, then shut it down. |
| | [European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation](https://takedownindex.org/organizations/european-union-agency-for-law-enforcement-cooperation) | Coordinator | Coordinated the joint operation with the parallel AlphaBay action. |
| | [Openbaar Ministerie (Netherlands Public Prosecution Service)](https://takedownindex.org/organizations/openbaar-ministerie-netherlands-public-prosecution-service), Netherlands | Judicial cooperation | Authorized covert continuation of the criminal service under Dutch law. |
| | [Bitdefender](https://takedownindex.org/organizations/bitdefender), Romania | Technical partner | Provided technical advisory support to Europol EC3. |

## Accountability

### Legal authority

Dutch judicial authorization for covert continuation of a criminal service; German arrest warrants

### Oversight

The record assigns prosecuting or judicial roles to Dutch Public Prosecution Service.

This page records organizational involvement as the cited sources state it. Where a role carries no description, the record gives none.

Last reviewed August 21, 2026