Turkish authorities reportedly seized $40 million in cryptocurrency and detained 46 people in an illegal gambling investigation. “This operation came out of Turkish Cyprus and is linked to the murder of Halil Falyalı,” Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu said.
Turkey Confiscates $40 Million in Crypto
The Smuggling and Organized Crime Investigation Bureau of the Ankara General Prosecutor’s Office issued an arrest warrant for 46 suspects and seized $40 million in cryptocurrency on Wednesday, the Daily Sabah reported.
The arrest and seizure were part of an investigation of illegal gambling in eight provinces: Ankara, Batman, Bingöl, Kayseri, Kırıkkale, Muş, Van and Yozgat.
The suspects allegedly mediated the transfer of illegally obtained funds to the crypto accounts of a criminal organization that includes Halil Falyalı and his wife.
Gambling and casino tycoon Halil Falyalı was shot dead on February 8 in an armed robbery near his home in Kyrenia, a city on the north coast of Cyprus. He allegedly led the illegal gambling business that is being investigated, passed on the post, adding:
A net amount of 2.5 billion TL [$134.5 million] The cryptocurrency value was transferred to the cryptocurrency accounts of a group of 11 people, including Falyalı and his wife.
“Around $40 million worth of crypto assets were seized, detected to be transferred to crypto asset exchanges at home and abroad,” the post detailed.
Noting that “This operation came out of Turkish Cyprus and is linked to the assassination of Halil Falyalı”, Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu said:
A transfer of approximately 2.5 billion TL of money took place. Approximately $40 million in money has been seized at this time. But this is only the beginning.
According to several Turkish media outlets, bitcoin (BTC) and tether (USDT) were seized.
What do you think about the seizure of cryptocurrencies by the Turkish authorities? Let us know in the comments section.
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