Kazakhstan shuts down major crypto exchanges used for drug money launderingKazakhstan's Financial Monitoring Agency has dismantled a network of illegal cryptocurrency exchanges that laundered proceeds from drug trafficking and fraud schemes, according to a report presented to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.Agency chairman Zhanat Elimanov reported the shutdown of 20 illicit crypto exchanges and shell companies that cashed out more than 24 billion tenge. Authorities dismantled the largest crypto service in the CIS, which operated 20 darknet platforms and serviced over 200 online drug shops, resulting in the freezing of $9.7 million in virtual assets.Elimanov further reported the completion of 720 criminal investigations, the dismantling of 15 organized crime groups including three transnational operations, and the prevention of illegal fuel exports valued at 17.1 billion tenge.Additional enforcement actions shut down two clandestine tobacco factories and 16 illegal alcohol production facilities, while removing vaping products worth 12 billion tenge from the shadow economy. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: Interfax