Netherlands arrest in alleged dark‑web contract‑killing plot

A 45-year-old woman with no fixed address was arrested in the Netherlands on Friday as part of a probe into an alleged contract killing arranged via the dark web, Rotterdam police said.

The investigation concerns an attempted hit against a Rotterdam entrepreneur whose home address and a recent photograph were posted on a website, authorities say. The posting prompted an inquiry after it attracted contact from someone offering assassination services.

The suspect allegedly wrote on the dark web: "I want you to burn him alive and make sure he doesn't survive." After being told the price of $9,000, she is reported to have asked, "how much does it cost to have his arms and legs cut off, or, how much would it cost to shoot him?"

During the negotiations, $1,400 was paid in bitcoin in what later turned out to be a scam, and the murder was never carried out. Investigators say the payment and the online correspondence were key leads in the probe.

Rotterdam police arrested the 45-year-old suspect on Friday; she does not have a permanent address in the Netherlands. She is due to be brought before a court today, September 14, 2026.

Authorities warned that criminal offers on parts of the internet can be hard to detect and said the case remains under active investigation.

Photo: press material from the event