I suspect this is the US government and I very much doubt they are genuinely looking to buy these tools.

It is most likely an operation to trace and capture those who are selling them.

It is pretty obvious government/security agency behaviour.

The tools as you suggest will likely be obsolete by now.

Also I wonder what the legality is of using the Silk Road BTC? Not that it matters to government agencies but they can't keep this kind of thing secret and deniable. BTC makes that pretty much impossible.