Polish Law Enforcement Investigating Bitcoin Exchange Shutdown

Prosecutors in Łódź, Poland, have launched an investigation into the shutdown of Bitcurex, one the country's oldest and largest bitcoin exchanges.

Earlier this year, the platform suddenly went offline, reportedly depriving its users of access to some 2,300 bitcoins. In October 2016, the bitcoin exchange told local media that its IT system was "damaged by an external interference" that resulted with the loss of a portion of its total assets.

But while platform's operator said that it had notified the authorities of a potential crime, as of earlier this month, the website has no content.

The Prosecutor's Office said in a statement that it is investigating the case on suspicion of crimes against the property of third persons.

"Injured persons who have not submitted a notice of offense can submit such notices directly to the Prosecutor’s Office in Łódź," the statement said. "Written notices should, if possible, be accompanied by copies of the available documents or print-outs that confirm the amount of the incurred losses."

The cryptocurrency exchange was set up in July 2012 and operated by a Łódź-based company called Digital Future. In past years, Bitcurex had been victim of various hacking attempts that forced the platform to temporarily halt its activities.

In March 2014, following an earlier hacking attack on the exchange, company representatives told CoinDesk that shutting down the site would allow Bitcurex's IT team to "perform a necessary verification".

Four days after that attack, the platform resumed services.

Polish police image via Shutterstock