Fentanyl


Policy

Mexican Cartels Using BTC, ETH, USDT, Other Tokens to Buy Fentanyl Ingredients: U.S.

The financial-crimes arm of the U.S. Treasury Department has flagged the increased use of several crypto assets to support Mexican drug trafficking

U.S. authorities have warned about Mexican cartels using crypto to buy precursors to make fentanyl. (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)

Policy

Illicit Funds in Crypto Ecosystem Shrank 9% Last Year, Yet Criminals Still Handled Nearly $35B: TRM Labs

Almost half of all illicit crypto volume occurred on the TRON Blockchain, the report said.

(Alpha Rad/Unsplash)

Policy

Chinese Firms Used Crypto Payments to Run Fentanyl Network, U.S. Claims in Charges

The U.S. Department of Justice charged eight companies with illegal drug production, distribution and sales of precursor chemicals, saying they used cryptocurrency to move money.

U.S. authorities cracked down on another ring of fentanyl suppliers they say are tied to Chinese companies and using cryptocurrency to move money. (Photo illustration by Jesse Hamilton)

Finance

Ethereum Wallet Tied to Sinaloa Cartel Sanctioned by U.S. Government

The wallet is tied to a money laundering operation that transfers proceeds from fentanyl sales to Sinaloa cartel leaders in Mexico, officials said.

(Pixabay)

Videos

Elliptic Chief Legal Officer on Crypto's Fentanyl Trade

Blockchain analytics firm Elliptic’s recent research has found that crypto is being used in the trade of fentanyl and that the attackers behind the Atomic Wallet hack are using the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned exchange Garantex to move stolen funds. Elliptic Chief Legal Officer John Melican discusses the latest in crypto crime and risk management.

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Videos

Hong Kong's Crypto Plans; Dogecoin Volatility Explosion Ahead?

Hong Kong's Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has started accepting applications for crypto trading platform licenses. Separately, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is calling for a crackdown on the use of crypto in the Chinese fentanyl trade. And, a technical analysis indicator called Bollinger bandwidth suggests dogecoin (DOGE) could be due for a pronounced move. CoinDesk's Jennifer Sanasie and The TIE Director of Content Lawrence Lewitinn break down some of the most-searched stories impacting the crypto sector this week.

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Videos

Bitcoin Slips Closer to $27K; Sen. Warren Calls for Shutdown of Crypto Funding for Fentanyl

CoinDesk's Jenn Sanasie breaks down the major stories shaping the crypto industry on "CoinDesk Daily" as bitcoin (BTC) slips closer to $27,000, after a top U.S. Federal Reserve official said there is no compelling case to halt the central bank’s rate hike cycle. This comes as U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) argues for legislation to shut the rampant use of cryptocurrency in the Chinese fentanyl trade during a Wednesday Senate hearing. Separately, the European Union formally signed its landmark Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) regulation into law, taking the bloc closer to becoming the first major jurisdiction in the world with tailored rules for the sector.

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Policy

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren Calls for Shutdown of Crypto Funding for Fentanyl

In a Senate hearing, a top U.S. Treasury official said Chinese drug makers have found crypto payments “appealing,” and Warren cited Elliptic research to back a push for legislation.

Prescription fentanyl (Daniel Tahar/Wikimedia Commons)

Videos

Crypto’s Fentanyl Trade Worth Tens of Millions: Security Researchers

Law enforcement around the world has long pointed to China as being a source of deadly fentanyl as well as the precursors used to manufacture it. New research from both Chainalysis and Elliptic have put a number on how much of this trade is done in crypto. "The Hash" panel discusses the illicit use of cryptocurrencies.

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