Costa Rican authorities capture 36 people who legitimized capital with cryptocurrencies – DiarioBitcoin

The arrested people operated in a consolidated gang in the country, which was dedicated to the theft of real estate, fraud and other crimes. They invested in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin to legitimize part of the capital involved in crimes.

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• Authorities in Costa Rica captured members of a gang that operated with cryptocurrencies
• These were dedicated to property theft, scams and other crimes.
• The organization had members in government entities and law enforcement agencies.
• They used cryptocurrencies to legitimize the funds derived from their operations
• Investigations continue, so the number of arrests could increase

The authorities in Costa Rica carried out a procedure that led to the arrest of some 36 people, all involved in money laundering operations through the use of cryptocurrencies and other crimes of a financial nature.

Large scale operation in Costa Rica

According to information published by local media, the operation is part of an investigation that has been going on for around two and a half years, in which they were tracking the criminal gang in question. Among its members were government officials, who actively collaborated to facilitate the operations of the criminal organization.

The operation in question, known under the code name “Homeland”, This led to the arrest of criminals associated with fraudulent operations on bus lines, scams, money laundering and other criminal activities, which resulted in profits for the gang amounting to millions of dollars.

He Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) of the country detailed that the gang was made up of lawyers, judges, police and traffic agents, as well as ministry officials. The organization was led by two residents of Spanish nationality, who planned the actions to be carried out and all the logistics associated with the case.

In this regard, the director of the OIJ, Randal Zúñiga said that the gang was quite established in the country, and that they were legitimizing capital from stolen properties through cryptocurrencies. “In a single transaction on a given day, [los delincuentes] moved USD $13 million in Bitcoin”he indicated.

For this type of operations, the gang would also have hired experts in the field of cryptocurrencies who advised on carrying out these movements.

Investigations continue

The arrest of this first group of suspects is part of a much larger procedure, which included some 47 raids carried out throughout the country, so the number of arrests is expected to increase in the coming days.

According to the reports, andThe operation allowed the seizure of 38 vehicles, 13 buses, a weapon AR-15, jewelry, computers and documents, among other assets that will be used as evidence in the investigation.

It was also learned that criminals were keeping track of land and properties belonging to citizens living abroad. Subsequently, they contacted members who worked in the land ministries and issued falsified documentation that reported an alleged transfer of property.

For now, the authorities indicated that the investigations continue, and they hope to find more perpetrators to be able to definitively dismantle the criminal gang.

Regarding cryptocurrencies, the local parliament was weighing months ago a regulatory proposal that limits the use of Bitcoin within the country, this in an attempt to prevent criminal activities related to digital assets.

Article by Angel Di Matteo / Bitcoin Diary

Picture of Unsplash

WARNING: This is an informative article. DiarioBitcoin is a media outlet, it does not promote, endorse or recommend any particular investment. It is worth noting that investments in cryptoassets are not regulated in some countries. They may not be appropriate for retail investors, as the total amount invested could be lost. Check the laws of your country before investing.