TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Lin Rui-siang (林睿庠) was sentenced to 30 years in a New York federal court for running a dark web drug operation that sold NT$3.31 billion (US$105 million) of narcotics worldwide.

The 24-year-old was sentenced for conspiring to distribute drugs, laundering money, and selling misbranded medication through his ownership of Incognito Market, per CNA. Lin sold more than 1 tonne of illegal drugs through the online marketplace.

He was one of the founders of Incognito Market in October 2020 and oversaw its operations from January 2022 until it was shut down in March 2024. A skilled programmer, Lin registered more than 400,000 user accounts and coordinated sales through over 1,800 vendors. The platform processed more than 640,000 drug transactions.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Lin qualified for alternative military service based on his IT expertise and was assigned to Saint Lucia after passing a review. His service was originally scheduled to end in July 2024.

The Taipei District Prosecutors Office opened a separate investigation into his money laundering activities and seized his property and bank accounts in Taiwan.