Turkish authorities have reportedly seized $40 million in cryptocurrency and detained 46 people in an illegal betting investigation. “This operation came out of Turkish Cyprus and is linked to the murder of Halil Falyalı,” Turkish Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu said.
Turkey Confiscates $40 Million in Cryptocurrency
The Office of the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Smuggling and Organized Crime Investigation Bureau issued an order detaining 46 suspects and confiscated $40 million in cryptocurrency Wednesday, the Daily Sabah reported.
The detention and seizure were part of an illegal betting investigation 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.
Betting and casino tycoon Halil Falyalı was shot dead on Feb. 8 in an armed assault near his house in Kyrenia, a city on the northern coast of Cyprus. He allegedly led the illegal betting business that is being investigated, the publication conveyed, adding:
A net amount of TL 2.5 billion [$134.5 million] worth of cryptocurrency was transferred to the cryptocurrency accounts of a group of 11 people, including Falyalı and his wife.
“Around $40 million of crypto assets, which were detected to be transferred to crypto asset exchanges in the country and abroad, were seized,” the publication further detailed.
Noting that “This operation came out of Turkish Cyprus and is linked to the murder of Halil Falyalı,” Turkish Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu said:
A transfer of approximately TL 2.5 billion of money occurred. Approximately $40 million of money has been confiscated at the moment. But this is just the beginning.
According to several Turkish news outlets, bitcoin (BTC) and tether (USDT) were seized.
What do you think about Turkish authorities seizing cryptocurrency? Let us know in the comments section below.
Image Credits: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a direct offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, or a recommendation or endorsement of any products, services, or companies. Bitcoin.com does not provide investment, tax, legal, or accounting advice. Neither the company nor the author is responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article.
Credit: Source link
Bitcoin 
Ethereum 
Tether 
Solana 
BNB 
XRP 
Dogecoin 
USDC 
Cardano 
Lido Staked Ether 
TRON 
Stellar 
Avalanche 
Toncoin 
Shiba Inu 
Wrapped stETH 
Wrapped Bitcoin 
Polkadot 
Chainlink 
Bitcoin Cash 
WETH 
Sui 
Pepe 
LEO Token 
NEAR Protocol 
Litecoin 
Aptos 
Uniswap 
Wrapped eETH 
Hedera 
Internet Computer 
USDS 
Cronos 
POL (ex-MATIC) 
Ethereum Classic 
Render 
Bittensor 
Ethena USDe 
Artificial Superintelligence Alliance 
Kaspa 
WhiteBIT Coin 
Dai 
Arbitrum 
Cosmos Hub 
VeChain 
Bonk 
Filecoin 
MANTRA 
OKB 
dogwifhat 
