Bitcoin, Other Crypto Use to Launder Drug Money on the Rise, Says Report

Mexican cartels are estimated to launder $25 billion (roughly Rs. 1,84,690 crore) a year in Mexico alone.

By Agence France-Presse | Updated: 11 March 2022 11:24 IST

Bitcoin, Other Crypto Use to Launder Drug Money on the Rise, Says Report

The report voiced concern about illicit financial flows costing African states $88.6 billion per year

Highlights

Drug cartels in Mexico and Colombia are using Bitcoin to launder money
INCB is eyeing to regulate cryptocurrency payment system
INCB is issuing a red alert for countries to come to an agreement on this

Drug cartels in Mexico and Colombia are increasingly using cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin to launder money, the UN-linked International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) said Thursday.

Mexican cartels are estimated to launder $25 billion (roughly Rs. 1,84,690 crore) a year in Mexico alone, the board's annual report said, describing them "as among the richest and most powerful organised criminal groups" in the world.

"The use of Bitcoin to launder money is increasing, in particular among drug gangs such as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel," it said.

Samsung Wins Patent for a Tri-Fold Smartphone With Specialised Barrier Layer for Improved Durability

The criminals employ methods to get around a Mexican law requiring cryptocurrency platforms to notify authorities of any transaction of more than $2,830 (roughly Rs. 216,200), according to the report.

"To remain under the threshold for banking transactions that raise red flags ... criminals typically split their illicit cash into small amounts and deposit them into various bank accounts," it said. They then use the accounts to repeatedly buy small amounts of Bitcoin online to pay associates.

"According to the Drug Enforcement Administration of the United States, both Mexican and Colombian organised criminal groups are increasing their use of virtual currency because of the anonymity and speed of transactions," the report added.

Russia Continues to Trade in Cryptocurrency Even as Sanctions Tighten

The INCB is "issuing a red alert for countries to come to an agreement and consider how to better regulate this (cryptocurrency) payment system," the organisation's representative Raul Martin del Campo told AFP in Mexico City.

"States can update and improve their laws on the transparency of transactions," he added.

"It looks like there's a no man's land. As it's on the internet, governments sometimes think that they cannot regulate anything," he said.

The report voiced concern about illicit financial flows costing African states $88.6 billion (roughly Rs. 676.731 crore) per year — around 3.7 percent of their combined gross domestic product (GDP).

"Illicit financial flows and corruption undermine foreign direct investment and aid and threaten the continent's development," it warned.

This week on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast, we dive into Apple's Peek Performance event. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

Cryptocurrency is an unregulated digital currency, not a legal tender and subject to market risks. The information provided in the article is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice, trading advice or any other advice or recommendation of any sort offered or endorsed by NDTV. NDTV shall not be responsible for any loss arising from any investment based on any perceived recommendation, forecast or any other information contained in the article.

Affiliate links may be automatically generated - see our ethics statement for details.

Cryptocurrency Prices across Indian exchanges

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.