Government seeks to auction off cyber shelter to the top competitor

Enjoy beautiful sights in picturesque Traben-Trarbach - Government aims to auction off cybersecurity facility to top offerer

The fate of the Cyberbunker in Traben-Trarbach on the Mosel remains undecided. Following the Bundesanstalt für Immobilienaufgaben's (Bima) decision to pull out of purchasing the facility, the Rhineland-Palatinate state, having ownership rights, is now on the lookout for a new owner, as per the Koblenz tax agency. So far, multiple potential buyers have shown interest, and no clear favorite has emerged.

In the autumn of 2019, the almost 5,500 square-meter bunker was discovered as an illegal data center for multi-million dollar criminal schemes on the Darknet. This resulted in one of Germany's most significant cybercrime cases, with the bunker's operators being charged.

The facility was initially confiscated by the General Public Prosecutor's Office. Since September of the previous year, the state held ownership over the entire 13-hectare property, which encompasses not only the five-tiered bunker but also two above-ground structures.

The sale price hasn't been disclosed

The aim is to offload the entire complex at its "full value," said the spokesperson for the office. Whichever bidder offers the most attractive proposal will win. But it's uncertain how high that price should be. Assessing such a "unique property," stemming from military usage, is intricate and requires concurrent development of an overall usage plan.

Sale procedures are expected in close cooperation with the municipality. It'd be ideal "if the bunker's usage, along with the buildings, also aligns with the city and Traben-Trarbach community's interests." It would also be beneficial if the new owner contributed to generating employment in the region and boosting the local economy.

Ideas for the bunker have ranged from a cheese storage to a wine depository to a bunker hotel. The goal is "to sell off the property as quickly as possible." However, without any specific timetable, it's uncertain when that will occur.

Both buildings on the property require significant renovations and are currently inaccessible. In the bunker, attempts are made to remove moisture. Additionally, the electrical installation is currently undergoing renovation.

In the past, the underground protection building on Mont Royal hill in Traben-Trarbach housed the Federal Office for Geoinformation of the Bundeswehr. Data processed at multiple deployment sites were sent from there to various units – even abroad. However, the office's operations ceased in late 2012. And in late 2013, the Cyberbunker gang’s leader acquired the old Bundeswehr bunker for 450,000 euros.

The gang had run hundreds of servers, through which nearly 250,000 offenses were conducted - drug deals, data theft, cyberattacks, and counterfeiting. In late 2021, seven men and a woman were sentenced to prison terms ranging from one year on probation to five years and nine months by the Trier Regional Court due to their membership in a criminal organization.