Seven people have been arrested in what police describe as one of the largest known dark web drug trafficking operations in Canadian history, the RCMP announced Thursday.

The RCMP said the investigation began after a "takedown" of a dark web marketplace by German authorities, who contacted the force about several alleged Canadian-based users linked to drug trafficking.

The Mounties said data analysis identified a suspected Canadian-based drug vendor known as "RoadRunna," which police described as a "sophisticated criminal enterprise" that used dark web platforms to distribute drugs in Canada.

The dark web is a hidden and encrypted part of internet inaccessible by regular search engines, the RCMP said, and it's often used to facilitate criminal activity such as the sale of illegal drugs.

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