Special agents from Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Seattle Field Offices, as well as HSI Brussels and the National Police Force of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, coordinated the international takedown of four domain servers allegedly used to sell counterfeit pharmaceutical grade drugs, some of which contained methamphetamine and fentanyl and were illegally distributed throughout the United States.
“HSI’s global reach through seamless coordination with our international law enforcement partners, coupled with the dedicated efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, have made this possible,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia William S. Walker. “Investigations like these can only be accomplished when teams of laser-focused investigators and prosecutors work hand-in-hand.”
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move.
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HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries.
HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.
What is Domain Seizure?
Domain seizure refers to the legal act of taking control of a website’s domain name, rendering it inaccessible to users. This action is typically carried out by government authorities or law enforcement agencies in response to illegal activities or violations of copyright laws.
When a domain is seized, visitors attempting to access the website are redirected to a notice page or an alternative domain, effectively preventing them from reaching the original site.
The Process of Domain Seizure
1. Legal Proceedings and Court Orders
The process of domain seizure begins with legal proceedings initiated against the website or its operators. In most cases, the authorities gather evidence of illegal activities or copyright infringement before seeking a court order. This order grants them the authority to seize the domain name associated with the website.
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2. Domain Registrar Cooperation
Once a court order is obtained, the authorities must collaborate with the domain registrar to implement the seizure. The registrar, who manages the registration and ownership of domain names, is obligated to comply with the court order by transferring control of the domain to the authorities. This cooperation ensures that the website’s original domain becomes inaccessible to users.
3. DNS Changes and Website Redirection
Following the domain seizure, the authorities make changes to the Domain Name System (DNS) records associated with the domain. These changes redirect any attempts to access the website to an alternative page, often displaying a notice explaining the seizure and providing relevant legal information.
By altering the DNS settings, the authorities effectively prevent users from reaching the original website.
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