Kevin Helms
A student of Austrian economics, Kevin found Bitcoin in 2011 and has been an evangelist ever since. His interests lie in Bitcoin security, open source systems, network effects and the intersection of finance and cryptography.
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Turkish authorities have reportedly seized $40 million in cryptocurrency and jailed 46 people in an illegal gambling investigation. – This operation came from Turkish Cyprus and is linked to the murder of Halil Falyalı, said Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu.
Turkey confiscates $40 million in cryptocurrency
The office of the Ankara Chief Prosecutor’s Investigation Agency for Smuggling and Organized Crime issued an order to arrest 46 suspects and confiscated $40 million in cryptocurrency on Wednesday, Daily Sabah reported.
The freeware and seizure were part of an illegal gambling investigation in eight provinces: Ankara, Batman, Bingöl, Kayseri, Kırıkkale, Muş, Van and Yozgat.
The suspects allegedly facilitated the transfer of illegally obtained funds to the crypto accounts of a criminal organization that includes Halil Falyalı and his wife.
Betting and casino magnate Halil Falyalı was shot dead on February 8 in an armed attack near his home in Kyrenia, a city on the north coast of Cyprus. He is said to have led the illegal gambling business being investigated, relayed the publication, adding:
A net amount of 2.5 billion TL [$134.5 million] a value of cryptocurrency was transferred to the cryptocurrency accounts of a group of 11 people, including Falyalı and his wife.
“Approximately $40 million of crypto-assets, which were discovered to be transferred to crypto-asset exchanges in the country and abroad, were seized,” the publication further detailed.
Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu said: “This operation came from Turkish Cyprus and is linked to the killing of Halil Falyalı:
A transfer of approximately 2.5 billion TL occurred. About $40 million in cash is currently confiscated. But this is just the beginning.
According to several Turkish news channels, bitcoin (BTC) and tether (USDT) were seized.
What do you think about Turkish authorities seizing cryptocurrency? Let us know in the comments section below.
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