Customs officials in the Czech Republic seized cryptocurrency as part of an investigation into a suspected drug trafficking group.
Seven suspected drug dealers in the Czech Republic have been buying bulk quantities of drugs on the darkweb to resell throughout the Czech Republic. Customs accused the group of regularly purchasing MDMA, LSD, and anabolic steroids on the darkweb for at least five years. In addition to sourcing drugs on the darkweb, the group also produced methamphetamine and cultivated marijuana.
The investigation began in September 2019 with a support from Europol. The Europol somehow learned that certain darkweb vendors were regularly shipping large packages of drugs to addresses in the Czech Republic. Europol notified law enforcement of the incoming drug packages. Czech Customs picked up the case and investigated the recipients of the drug shipments.
In January 2021, law enforcement in the Czech Republic executed search warrants at the apartaments associated with the suspected drug dealers. During the searches, police found cocaine, marijuana, hashish, methamphetamine, ecstasy tablets, MDMA, LSD, anabolic steroids, and other undisclosed substances related to the steroid category of contraband. They seized two vehicles and Ethereum coins worth $35,168. The cryptocurrency, was part of the proceeds of the suspected drug trafficking conspiracy.
The suspected leader of the group kept the majority of his profits in both Bitcoin and Ethereum. He stored the coins in hardware wallets and digital wallets on several mobile devices.