Cybercrime units across the globe have taken down around 400 websites and arrested 17 suspected members of underground online drugs and weapons market following the arrest of the alleged operator of the notorious website Silk Road 2, European police said this week.

The United States, Amsterdam and the European authorities said they had shut down Silk Road 2.0, the successor of Silk Road, an online marketplace for drugs, and arrested and charged Blake Benthall, the alleged operator, with conspiracy to commit drug trafficking, money laundering, computer hacking and other crimes.

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European police authorities, in a statement, said US and European cybercrime units have netted $1 million worth  of the digital currency Bitcoin, and 180,000 euros in cash, gold, silver and narcotics in their sweep across 18 countries.

Reports from the Europol's cybercrime center said that although the  raids have taken down a big part of the online black market  for drugs and weapons trade in countries involved, they have admitted that these markets can be easily created and could even mushroom in such a short time.

Troels Oerting, the head of Europol's cybercrime unit, said raids were conducted in Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Germany, France, Finland, Ireland, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxembourg, Romania, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The raids were part of the operations code-named "Onymous," where 16 people were arrested for operating illegal sites.

The operation was carefully planned and coordinated among Europol's Cybercrime center, the FBI, the US Immigration and Homeland Security officials.

Around 400 internet sites and domains  being used to sell child pornography, guns-for-hire, drugs and weapons were taken down and the operators arrested.

The reports said these online cybermarkets have created a web shop displaying their wares such as guns, drugs, and even stolen credit cards, and people actually paid for these that were delivered to them through a delivery service.

Oerting said there was even a ranking system among the reliable suppliers.

The illegal operators used the so-called Tor computer network where the users can transact business anonymously by masking their IP address to run the so-called "dark markets."

Reports said the cybercrime busters have also hit the services of the Darknet, where criminals and illegal operators have transacted business for a long time, thinking that they are beyond reach of the police.

Oerting said that after the raids, the criminals now realize that they are neither beyond reach nor untouchable.

Tagscybercrime, online black markets, Silk Road 2.0, europol, homeland security