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Three months after its big advertising push, illegal drug market Atlantis shuts down forever

Three months after its big advertising push, illegal drug market Atlantis shuts down forever

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atlantis market screencap
atlantis market screencap

Atlantis Market, the online bazaar for illegal drugs, has suddenly shut down permanently due to "security reasons outside our control." The site gained some notoriety after the circulation of an animated commercial that explained how a "stoner" named Charlie uses Atlantis to find "dank buds," part of a broader advertising push aimed at chipping away market share from the reigning drug underground kingpin, Silk Road.

At the time, people questioned whether it was wise for Atlantis to brag so brazenly about its illegal activities, which are conducted using the semi-anonymous digital currencies Bitcoin and Litecoin. The site removed the video shortly after it was linked to by Drudge Report. Though it's unclear why Atlantis is closing its doors — it could be anything from hacker attacks to the encroachment of law enforcement — it does seem like a case of hubris given the site's blustery track record.

"Thank all of you for making Atlantis a great and memorable place."

Atlantis is giving users a week to withdraw their money from the site before it shuts down. Its total lifetime? Around six months. "We wish to thank all of you for making Atlantis a great and memorable place to trade on," the founders wrote in an announcement to users. "We wish you all the best in your future endeavors."