Gang Arrested for Crypto Theft
Brazilian police officers and Interpol have successfully apprehended a gang of suspected crypto thieves, resulting in the arrest of seven individuals. The Santa Catarina civil police force executed eight arrest warrants and four “search and seize” permits during a coordinated operation across Brazilian and Argentinian cities, also involving the Brazilian Ministry of Justice, Federal Police Department, and Argentina’s Federal Police Force. This major operation, codenamed Blockchain, aims to combat criminal activities in the crypto space.
Details of the Operation
During the operation, two suspects were apprehended in Buenos Aires on October 4th, while another suspect was caught in the Brazilian state of Sergipe the following day. Two additional suspects were already in custody in relation to bank robbery charges. However, one suspect managed to elude law enforcement and is currently at large.
“The detainees, all apparently Brazilian nationals, are suspected of robbery and extortion-related offenses. The group is believed to have stolen over $230,000 worth of undisclosed cryptoassets from a business in Praia Brava, Itajaí, through an armed break-in. The business owner, along with his family and employees, was held captive for three hours and subjected to physical abuse and threats,” revealed the police.
In addition to the stolen cryptoassets, the gang also took jewelry, electronic devices, and cash. However, investigators have successfully traced the stolen coins to addresses in Argentina and Peru. It seems that the thieves attempted to obfuscate their tracks by spreading the funds across multiple crypto wallets. Nevertheless, law enforcement was able to freeze certain crypto exchange wallets and seize the stolen assets.
The investigation is ongoing, and the seven suspects are currently in custody. It is expected that they will be formally indicted by the prosecution by the end of this month. This successful operation highlights the commitment of Brazilian law enforcement, Interpol, and international authorities in combating crypto-related crimes.
It is worth mentioning that last month, the state of Santa Catarina announced measures to prevent public officials, including police and military officers, from using public networks to mine cryptocurrencies. This decision aims to uphold ethical conduct and prevent potential misuse of public resources.
Moreover, recent crypto-related law enforcement efforts in other areas of Brazil, such as São Paulo, Mato Grosso, and Mato Grosso do Sul, have resulted in the freezing of crypto wallets and seizure of assets, targeting suspected rings involved in electronic smuggling and tax evasion facilitated by cryptocurrencies.
