Cybercrime Division of the National Police's Office for Combating Economic Crimes, in cooperation with the Federal Investigation Office of the United States (US), the Portuguese law enforcement authorities and the European Union's law enforcement agency Europol, carried out a series of operational measures and investigative activities, resulting in criminal detention of money laundering. a group involving six Latvian citizens. . These persons have turned at least 4,5 million eir through bogus bank accounts. o.
at the beginning of 2019, , the Cybercrime Division of the National Police Office for the Prevention of Economic Crimes (VP ENAP), in cooperation with the US FBI, the Portuguese, Spanish, British, Italian, Bulgarian and Polish law enforcement authorities and the European Union's law enforcement agency Europol, carried out a series of operational measures and investigation activities in the international operation to arrest the organisation of a criminal group involving several Latvian citizens engaged in money laundering. . A joint investigation and strategic planning team was set up in the US, whose members, including the VP'S ENAP Cybercrime Division, planned and detained a member of the organised criminal group during the half-decade. s. On 23 October 2019, a total of 19 persons and 40 searches were carried out in six countries, Latvia, Spain, the United Kingdom, Italy, Bulgaria and Poland. . Another person detained in 2020.
Organised Criminal Group worked in the internet shadow sector in DarkNet and positioned itself as the best “money laundering” bank. . This group provided a service when receiving money from criminals or victims – implemented a complex scheme and ensured that stolen money received from victims of cybercrime is issued to criminals in cash or cryptocurrency, receiving 30-50% of stolen money. s. The VP ENAP identified six Latvian citizens who were both co-organisers and coordinators of the organised criminal group and “money mules”.
during the investigation of , two persons collected “money mules” from Latvia, who in turn registered bogus companies and opened bank accounts attached to them using falsified Latvian, Polish and Bulgarian identity documents. . Later, they passed the bank account access tools to the organizers, who further organized the cash flow and executed the service U. As a result of international cooperation, a cryptocurrency farm was discovered in Bulgaria in which cryptocurrency was produced, which was returned to criminals. . In general, law enforcement authorities found that the detainees had turned over at least €4.5 million and produced at least one million euro in bitcoins on the open cryptocurrency farm.
in Latvia, , VP ENAP detained six persons – persons born in 1995, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1988 and 1985 – and carried out 22 searches, with the exception of various data carriers, falsified personal documents, discs, etc. . Evidence relevant to the investigation s. In cooperation with officials of the International Co-operation Office of the State Police, one detained Latvian citizen was issued for trial in the United States, and five for Portugal, where the money laundering scheme was implemented. .
“This is a unique case that shows that meeting together and setting up a joint investigation and strategic planning team can successfully cooperate and detect crimes. . In addition, you can do this when you are abroad s. This is the first such operation in which so many searches and detentions have been carried out in several countries at the same time. . The main thing was to act at the same time, because the members of the organised criminal group are communicating with each other, and we should not have allowed any leakage of information between them and any electronic evidence to be deleted,” points out Dmitry Homenko, Head of the VP'S ENAP Cybercrime Division.
During the Single International Operation, a total of 20 persons detained are citizens of Latvia. . Six are detained in Latvia, two in Spain, two in Britain and one in Poland.
State Police are calling for not to hook up and watch out for unwarranted offers and promises to make money easily, especially when promises seem too good to be true. . Behind such enticing offers to earn financial means, there's actually a 'money mule' verve a. The national police draw attention to the fact that, when involved in such transactions, it is illegal and criminally responsible. . Similarly, for example, opening an account or setting up a company on its own behalf at the request of a third party and transferring it to a third party for further management is a criminal crime.
If there is a suspicion that you are involved in money laundering, you shall immediately suspend money transfers and notify the State Police by calling 110 or directing the nearest police station.
Prepared by:
Diāna Lukina
Senior Officer of the State Police
Public Relations Division
Other information:
Simona Grāvīte
Head of State Police
Public Relations Department
Mob. tel. . 29900345
simona.gravite@vp.gov.lv