After discontinuing his apprenticeship in 2013, his boss was disappointed, but what triggered the rather surprising career change remains completely unclear. Lead image:  Just a small portion of the 320 kg of all sorts of drugs, that were seized during the raid. It's very probable that Dutchmaster was one of Shiny's suppliers. ", "How am I supposed to picture this?" A screencapture of Shiny Flakes' webshop shortly before it was taken offline. The police say they weren't responsible and they also lack a motive for warning drug dealers about pending search warrants. We will continue to report on the trial as it unfolds. One of the largest DHL logistic centers in Europe is about 10 kilometers north of Leipzig-Gohlis and right next to the Leipzig-Halle airport. Obviously secrecy is the supreme virtue when it comes to all the physical and digital traces created by online dealing. The police had nothing on him online. It was a pretty lucky find for the authorities. Using one for two years, the way Shiny did, is simply too long. According to the prosecutor, he's facing a sentence of 15 years for internationally distributing controlled substances. "The police can make hundreds of mistakes," another drug dealer, who's known Shiny for a while, explained regarding the pitfalls of online dealing. 2015 wurde er zu sieben Jahren … We are now able to trace how the seizure was executed thanks to new information provided exclusively to Motherboard Germany. Maximilian is accused of dealing at least 914 kilograms of drugs worldwide over a period of 14 months. A total of 38 locations were searched and five other individuals were arrested. The supposed anonymity of online dealing has changed the profile of the successful dealer. On March 10th, the police, using the information obtained on the stick, got warrants and conduct searches all over Germany. For most visitors it just look a little bit more inviting than similar notes after police darknet operations that ​we have s​een in the past. Press Image: Deutsche Post AG. "Since he was an orderly person, he stored it all on shelves," an officer answers. Shiny Flakes: Internet-Drogenhandel bringt "Kinderzimmer-Dealer" lange Strafe Als Schnapsidee hat ein 20-jähriger Leipziger seinen groß angelegten Online-Drogenhandel "Shiny Flakes… Among the pills are several bulging freezer bags of high-dose, red pills of ecstasy known Burger Kings, which Shiny Flakes claimed to distribute exclusively. People following the case have asked how the police were able to shut down the expansively-networked drug empire so quickly. Whether it was actually posted by Shiny, who was a registered dealer on three deep web markets, can't be conclusively determined today—maybe Shiny was just trying to alienate other dealers that gave him bad ratings. The police proudly present the confiscated goods: 50,000 hits of LSD, among others. Moritz mainly sent his packages within German-speaking countries, but some made it all the way to Indonesia, sometimes by registered mail, often to automated package stations or PO boxes, and, for bigger orders, as traceable deliveries with tracking numbers. Instead, the Leipzig Police contacted property management and surveilled a totally innocent individual for over a week. Shiny Flakes tauchte während der Dreharbeiten zur Serie plötzlich mal im Produktionsbüro auf, so erzählt Lars Montag. ", DHL logistics hubs in Saxony like this one in Radeberg are the nodal points that the majority of Shiny Flakes' domestic and probably also international deliveries passed through. In the presentation that follows, the police portray themselves like they're on an episode of Crimewatch. ​, Responding to the authorities' proud claim that they're now basically able to do crackdowns within the darknet, Chris*—another darknet dealer who's known the accused for over a year—assuredly explains, "I don't believe that. The Dutch authorities recently raided the wholesale supplier, Dutchmaster, which led this month to search warrants being issued for other German dealers, including colleagues of Chris'. Even though the two dealers respected each other, they ultimately found themselves in a competitive struggle. But this time, they aren't alone. At this point the authorities had amazing luck: Prosecutors allege that Maximilian was not as protective of his data as he let on in an interview with Motherboard. Drogenversand "Shiny Flakes": Shopbetreiber Maximilian S. kündigt Aussage an – Nachrichten aus Leipzig - Leipziger Zeitung Leipziger Internet-Zeitung Aktuelles in eigener Sache: Neue Website online 29. On this mild winter day, the cops make their move. He always ordered these taxis using a cell phone he used exclusively for this purpose. The authorities not only found a neatly laid-out list of deliveries made since December 2013, including notes made on individual orders, they also found a document listing all of the most important logins for running his platforms. If Maximilian had had a question for the driver, called him, and had been unable to reach him, he could have gotten alarmed and could have started destroying evidence. Even though there is a 31-year age difference between the two, they meet regularly. A major drug bust was announced by German police this week. They not only found a neatly laid-out list of all deliveries, they also found a text document on his laptop containing the most important logins. Faced with an overwhelming amount of evidence against him, Moritz's chances in court aren't looking too good, although he has retained the experienced defense attorney, Stefan Costabel. He was smart enough to know how to set up his online business with the help of Tor without being discovered. Neue Netflix-Serie: "Shiny Flakes" und die Drogen aus dem Kinderzimmer Ein Schüler verkauft aus seinem Kinderzimmer übers Internet Drogen und verdient Millionen. "Run for your lives" appeared on March 3rd, when the CEO of Shiny Flakes was already sitting in jail. The authorities were very lucky. A small selection of the drugs found in Moritz's room: hash, speed paste, kilos of ecstasy. Our research over the past months has shown that investigators didn't get onto Maximilian's trail in the way they purported to do so during a press conference they gave—basically, by using their supposed cybercrime expertise—but rather were able to find him using traditional investigative measures. Additionally, the police disclosed how much he made with his business. All images (when not otherwise stated): Theresa Locker/Motherboard. Two mistakes sealed Maximilian's fate. In an exclusive ​interview with Motherboard in September of 2014, Shiny said himself, "If a customer is unsatisfied with a product, I get very direct.". The lion's share of his earnings were actually made in the three months leading up to his arrest. "But if I, the dealer, make a mistake, then it's deadly.". Because Moritz—who thought he was invincible and who single-handedly built up and ran his drug empire, Shiny Flakes—still lives with his mom. What's more in question is why the police waited so long to take the apartment after arresting the courier. On Monday, August 24th, the trial of Maximilian S., the alleged operator of the online drug market Shiny Flakes, began in Leipzig. What's clear is that Moritz is a highly intelligent nerd with arrogant tendencies. After the drop, the courier took off, only to be nabbed by the police in a parking lot after turning a few corners while Maximilian was carrying the heavy boxes up to his room. Professional Nerds won't be tried as Juveniles. But if I, the dealer, make a mistake, it's deadly.". Max S. betrieb in seinem Kinderzimmer den Drogen-Onlineshop Shiny-Flakes - er verkaufte fast eine Tonne Drogen. Image: Myles Tweedle. The man behind Shiny Flakes has been sitting in penal facility since February 27th. But the police weren't the only ones on Moritz's heels. Leipzig - Es ist einer der größten Drogenfunde in Deutschland: Die Leipziger Ermittlungsbehörden haben offenbar einen 20-jährigen Dealer überführt, der … He also had the tools for setting up magnetic cards to send and receive goods from the package station with hacked post accounts. The depots served merely as dead drops; often, the packages were addressed to someone other than the person who picked them up, with a second bogus party listed as the return address. Another thing that stood out to investigators was the routine nature of his deliveries. The police also neglect to explain the origin of the message on Shiny Flakes' dealer profile on Evolution. The message: Nobody is out of reach of the law's eagle eyes, not the street dealer, not the darknet vendor and not even the customers. Shortly after the seizure, the Shiny Flakes website displayed a banner advertising career opportunities with the police in Saxony. At the press conference, the police also claim to have seized 325,000 euros in Bitcoin and additionally claim to have "obtained active data from the darknet." An innocent resident of the same apartment building was also also observed, even though the police already had taken a picture of Maximilian. This was when he began the clandestine setup of distribution channels for his steadily growing drug business. However, his arrest will barely put a dent into dealing over the darknet. The police apparently also conducted test buys on the website. Am vergangenen Freitag nahmen Ermittler in Leipzig den Betreiber des Drogen-Versandshops "Shiny Flakes" fest. However, it is possible that when the police confiscated Moritz's laptop during the raid, he was still logged into his Bitcoin wallet. But it's clear that one of Shiny's darknet profiles  was repeatedly visible online long after his arrest. The other was laziness: Maximilian kept using the same package station that was situated close to his house to send and receive drug parcels. "He wanted to play God," someone family with details of the court case told Motherboard. The DIY drug boss' business had gotten out of hand, at least in recent months. The amount of drugs allegedly found in his room is over 15,000 times more than what the law defines as "minor amounts." A successful plea to the court to try him as a juvenile after he single-handedly constructed an extremely profitable drug business currently seems unlikely. After completing high school in Leipzig in 2011, he began an apprenticeship in an Italian restaurant, where he's remembered for being hardworking but also stiff. However the authorities won't speak to that, except for offering a suggestive, "Maybe.". Und in etwa vier Jahren dürfte der „Shiny-Flakes“-Dealer bei guter Führung auch schon wieder frei sein. They boast of having captured data from the darknet and employing highly-specialized IT cracks during the investigation, leading to its success. They no longer necessarily have to be a violent and scary puppet master—as the example of Ross Ulbricht demonstrates—they can be a loner, new-kid-on-the-block-type, who would rather sit at home and deal online than have contact to the outside world; a person whose strengths lay in strategy, computer skills, cryptography and logistics. The young man set up a "professional inventory control system, like in a department store," the police said. He seems to have been especially diligent about securing the door to his room—to this day the defendant claims that his mother and stepfather knew nothing about his profitable startup because he would fortify himself in his room whenever he was conducting business. View attachment 45718 The trial of Maximilian S., the alleged operator of the online drug market Shiny Flakes, began Monday in Leipzig. Maximilian did not even own a pocket knife. However, if Chris is right, this action gives surprising insight into the tactics that rival online dealers use to attack each other. To hand over kilos of drugs. On February 24th, the authorities allowed Maximilian to meet the courier to receive 25,000 ecstasy pills, 20 kilos of hash, 10,000 doses of LSD and 27 kilos of amphetamine without incident. But when questioned on how they were able to seize the digitally-encrypted currency and look at darknet data, their answers came up short. A press conference held to discuss the standing of the case and the background of the investigation was filled with reporters from all the biggest German TV stations and newspapers, as you would expect. "The police can make hundreds of mistakes. Just a day later, on March 11th, the rumors that had been flying around for days online about the end of Shiny Flakes were finally confirmed. For law enforcement, it's the conclusion of a meticulous months-long investigation, an equally historic and rare triumph against the online drug trade. Before he withdrew from the outside world, Maximilian pursued another career involving customer service. Auch wenn das Urteil gegen den Betreiber des Online-Drogen-Shops „Shiny Flakes“ seit mehr als einem Jahr gesprochen ist, werden noch immer Ermittlungsverfahren gegen die Besteller eingeleitet. Press images: Deutsche Post AG. The starting point for the authorities' investigation was a package with insufficient postage that didn't find its way back to the (nonexistent) sender and was opened at some point. Bei einer Wohnungsdurchsuchung der elterlichen Wohnung fanden die Fahnder Drogen im Werte von rund 4 Millionen Image: Deutsche Post AG. "He's been a big mouth for as long as I've known him." Er wurde inzwischen auch schon zu einer mehrjährigen Jugendstrafe The police leave with both dealers, the hard drives, and Mortiz's laptop. The authorities are accordingly proud and refer to it as a "sensation." It's certain that Maximilian, should he be guilty of running Shiny Flakes, nonetheless operated with caution and sophistication for a long time and safeguarded himself in many respects. Press Images: ​Deutsche Post AG. So the police asked 23 post offices around Germany for similar instances and assessed the data they received. Image: author. They also confiscate 48,000 euros in cash and an unbelievable cache of 320 kilos of all sorts of drugs, sorted, and stored on the shelves in Moritz's childhood bedroom. Nachrichten » "Shiny Flakes": 38 Hausdurchsuchungen nach Drogenfund in Leipzig Push Mitteilungen FN als Startseite dts Nachrichtenagentur 12.03.2015 | 10:58 … They had nothing on him until they were in his room, which was his warehouse and his headquarters. Der 20-Jährige befand sich im … The logistic center in Leipzig in which the first suspicious packages surfaced. One was the insufficient postage on a package that focused investigator's attention on Leipzig. The jaw-dropping drug photo op at the press conference was able to bring an end so some of the online discussions about Shiny Flakes' whereabouts and identity. Moreover, the relevant servers are located abroad. This is where the police first discovered a suspicious, undelivered package. Polizei überführt Web-Dealer "Shiny Flakes" - posted in Allgemeines: Leipzig - Es ist einer der größten Drogenfunde in Deutschland: Die Leipziger Ermittlungsbehörden haben offenbar einen 20-jährigen Dealer überführt, der über das Internet in großem Stil Drogen verkauft haben soll. Officers in Leipzig apprehended two individuals they believe to have been involved in the web-based Shiny-Flakes narcotics dealership, one a 20-year-old whose apartment was searched on … He just got too reckless. Wenn das kein Grund zur Freude ist! Whether the former drug kingpin, who has been held in a detention center for half a year now, can still be prosecuted as a minor is also up for debate. It was one of the biggest drug busts in German history. Moritz, it's clear by now, tried as hard as he could to keep it a one man operation. The authorities have elsewhere proved to not be all too tactically skilled in their investigation. Maximilian allegedly didn't just sell basically all illegal substances (except for heroin), he also dealt in a large variety of prescription drugs. Coke and ketamine didn't make it into the picture. Package stations and boxes, like these shown in Berlin-Pankow, played a central role in the business. Urteil rechtskräftig: Shiny Flakes-Admin schuldet Deutschland mehrere Millionen Maximilian S. ist auf Jahrzehnte hochverschuldet—da hilft … The presser consisted of a few speeches—from Leipzig police officers and city prosecutors—and then the bigger presentation of the seized drugs, which are still concealed under tablecloths. one reporter asks. Shiny Flakes' career was just another, short chapter in the online war on drugs, which has only just begun. "Then you can launch your barrage of in-depth questions," one officer muttered with hardly disguised disdain. Chris told us about that too. He would take taxis to package station 145, which was under video surveillance. He has a high school diploma but no higher education. A simple comparison with the personal information and photos of the building's residents at the Leipzig registration office could have cleared this other suspect. Also, plain luck played a big role. And the authorities have another thrilling piece of information for those interested in bureaucracy in the audience: "He didn't keep accounting books." It was the culmination of an unprecedented career in drug dealing, which in less than two years turned the 20-year-old Mortiz* into one of the biggest online dealers in Germany, according to police. They just want to make us paranoid. Whether of all things a hacking attack could have hindered the police from reading older, encrypted emails from Shiny's .com-domain, is as of yet unclear. Ein 20-Jähriger hatte die Drogen gehortet, um sie über den Webversand "Shiny Flakes" gewinnbringend zu verkaufen. Fall „Shiny Flakes“ - Kinderzimmer- Dealer jetzt Stoff für Netflix-Serie Leipzig – Ein Leipziger Kriminalfall wird zur Comedy-Serie. Maximilian was a busy young man who planned his operations meticulously and was adequately equipped for comprehensive trade in narcotics worldwide. „Shiny Flakes“ vertickte Drogen aus seinem Kinderzimmer – und wird jetzt zur Netflix-Serie NOIZZ.de Leipzig , Berlin , Deutschland , Köln , Bingo „Shiny Flakes“: Über 4 Millionen Euro mit Drogenversand umgesetzt Leipziger Internet Zeitung According to prosecutors, a courier from the Netherlands drove to the Gohlis district of Leipzig each Thursday to replenish Maximilian's supply of drugs—investigators knew this from watching the package station and the entrance to his house. Press photo: Deutsche Post AG. Shiny Flakes' original dot com domain happened to be registered anew just one day after the raid at Moritz's mom's place—to a new name and address. After the police became suspicious of a package with insufficient postage on it, all they had to do was keep an eye out for more packages of the same size with the various stamps and return addresses. Shiny Flakes' original dot com domain happened to be registered anew just one day after the raid at Moritz's mom's place—to a new name and address. Then there are the supply-end problems. He knew that the police wouldn't be capable of reading his emails that were PGP encrypted or following his Bitcoin cash flows. Ach, übrigens: Maximilian S. aka. By using dozens of SIM cards and various cell phones he was able to keep certain channels of communication with suppliers separate. According to the police investigation, on the one hand, he built up a highly professional drug business (he disguised the revenue as profit from a registered freelance web design business); nevertheless, his success and the pressure that came with it made him less careful. Seit Ende Februar 2015 müssen alle Kunden von Shiny Flakes bangen. Der junge Mann, der hinter shiny flakes stand, wurde festgenommen. His competition also had him in their sights, especially over the last year. Georg*, 51, drives up to a young man's apartment in the north of Leipzig, Germany, on February 26th, 2015. In Leipzig haben sich nicht nur Online-Händler angesiedelt, die legale Waren vertreiben. „ Netflix “ verfilmt die Story um Maximilian S. (23) aus Gohlis, der von seinem Kinderzimmer aus The Gohlis district in the North of Leipzig, where Motitz's mother lived, is an unassuming and friendly residential neighborhood. For the presentation of the confiscated drugs, the police set up long tables. A large part of the investigation's success though was due to more classic police work, especially the use of surveillance.