Criminals in Italy and Germany are increasingly making use of cryptocurrencies, according to the customs directorate in Bonn.
“The use of cryptocurrencies for online payment in the context of criminal offences is clearly on the rise,” the directorate said in a statement.
According to investigators’ findings, in most cases the perpetrators use Bitcoin and the currency Monero.
Cryptocurrencies are used in the context of criminal offenses to completely anonymize ordering and shipping procedures for illicit products or services.
In Italy, organized crime has also discovered cryptocurrencies in recent years.
For mafia organizations, anonymity and quick transactions are advantages, which is why they use these payment methods, according to the Italian DIA anti-mafia police.
Mafiosi especially use digital currencies in drug trafficking.
Neither German nor Italian police authorities provided precise information about operations, sums or damage.
