German Authorities Seize Record $2.17 Billion in Bitcoin in Major Cryptocurrency Operation

German law enforcement has made a historic seizure of 50,000 bitcoins valued at $2.17 billion, marking the country's largest-ever confiscation of cryptocurrency, according to an official statement released on Tuesday.

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German law enforcement authorities confiscated 50,000 $BTC in connection with the illegal distribution of digital content. At the time of writing, the seized assets are estimated at $2.2 billion.https://t.co/esOl0Ecv3L#Bitcoin #BTC #BTCUSD #Germany #CryptoNews — KOLATERY (@kolatery) January 30, 2024

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The police department in Dresden described the action as the most extensive bitcoin seizure ever conducted in Germany. This operation, which received support from the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), the FBI, and a Munich-based forensic IT expert company, underscores the growing efforts to combat illicit activities in the digital asset space.

The investigation is part of an ongoing probe into suspected commercial money laundering activities linked to two individuals who operated a German piracy website until 2013. The bitcoins were confiscated after the suspects voluntarily transferred them to official wallets provided by the BKA, as part of the authorities' efforts to disrupt illicit financial flows.

This significant seizure highlights the increasing focus on regulating and monitoring cryptocurrency transactions to prevent their misuse for illegal purposes.

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