Connect with us

Crypto

Crypto Deposits to Chinese Drug Producers' Addresses Double in Early 2024 Compared to 2023

Published

on

Crypto Deposits to Chinese Drug Producers' Addresses Double in Early 2024 Compared to 2023

Blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs has revealed that cryptocurrency deposits into crypto addresses linked to Chinese drug precursor manufacturers more than doubled in the first four months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.

In 2023, Chinese precursor networks received over $26 million in cryptocurrency, with 97% of the over 120 manufacturers studied offering payment options in digital currencies.

Bitcoin Dominates Transactions

According to TRM Labs, the overall amount of cryptocurrency deposited into wallets linked to these manufacturers increased by more than 600% from 2022 to 2023.

Bitcoin remains the dominant cryptocurrency used for these transactions, accounting for approximately 60% of the total payment volume. Following Bitcoin, the TRON blockchain saw about 30% of transactions, while Ethereum was used for roughly 6%.

The report also highlighted that 11 manufacturers were responsible for over 70% of all crypto-denominated sales of drug precursors. These manufacturers receive funds from unhosted wallets, cryptocurrency exchanges, and payment services, with their wallets most commonly hosted at exchanges.

Advertisement

In addition to the preference for cryptocurrencies, Chinese manufacturers also accept fiat currencies through platforms like PayPal, MoneyGram, Western Union, and traditional bank transfers.

The report revealed that Chinese drug precursor manufacturers mainly target countries including Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, Germany, and the United States. Advertisements have also been directed towards Russia and neighboring countries, particularly for mephedrone precursors.

China’s Role in The US Fentanyl Crisis

A U.S. congressional committee recently reported that the root cause of the U.S. fentanyl crisis lies in the People’s Republic of China, which manufactures over 97% of the precursors used in the global illicit fentanyl trade.

According to the report, China subsidizes the production of illicit fentanyl precursors, which has significantly contributed to the opioid crisis in the United States.

“The CCP has had this program in place since at least 2018. At that time, they subsidized at least 17 illegal synthetic narcotics that are Schedule I controlled substances, including 14 deadly fentanyl analogues.”

Advertisement

The committee found that China provides value-added tax rebates to companies manufacturing fentanyl analogs and other synthetic narcotics, provided these products are sold outside China.

Another September 2023 report by blockchain intelligence firm Elliptic also uncovered a network of 100 individual suppliers facilitating the illicit fentanyl trade. Elliptic noted that these suppliers use cryptocurrencies, particularly Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tron, and Monero, to conduct transactions and facilitate the transfer of funds from buyers to suppliers.

SPECIAL OFFER (Sponsored)

Binance Free $600 (CryptoPotato Exclusive): Use this link to register a new account and receive $600 exclusive welcome offer on Binance (full details).

LIMITED OFFER 2024 at BYDFi Exchange: Up to $2,888 welcome reward, use this link to register and open a 100 USDT-M position for free!

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Crypto

Ethereum ETFs imminent after amended S-1s (Cryptocurrency:ETH-USD)

Published

on

Ethereum ETFs imminent after amended S-1s (Cryptocurrency:ETH-USD)

Liliya Filakhtova

Seven financial firms eyeing exchange-traded funds linked to Ethereum (ETH-USD) amended their S-1 filing on Friday, raising expectations of an imminent launch of the first set of ETFs tied to the second-largest cryptocurrency.

According to the industry publication CryptoSlate, FranklinBLK

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Crypto

Attorney General warns of cryptocurrency scams at event in The Villages

Published

on

Attorney General warns of cryptocurrency scams at event in The Villages
Attorney General Ashley Moody

This week, we hosted a Cryptocurrency Scams Symposium in The Villages and recognized the top Seniors vs. Crime volunteers.

Florida is proud to be home to more than 5.5 million seniors. Unfortunately, there are bad actors who try to prey on older Floridians. Our Cyber Fraud Enforcement Unit presented to seniors at the symposium about how to avoid falling victim to cryptocurrency scams.

Protecting Florida’s seniors is one of our top priorities, and we are also grateful for all our Senior Sleuth volunteers’ efforts on behalf of older Floridians.

Last year, Senior Sleuths assisted more than 9,100 Florida seniors, put in more than 11,200 hours of free services and recovered more than $2.6 million. Since 2019, Seniors vs. Crime is responsible for recovering more than $10.5 million.

At the end of the symposium, we named five Super Senior Sleuths, one from each region of Florida for their outstanding work for their fellow seniors.

Advertisement

We also recognized our Senior Sleuth Advocate of the Year, John McLaughlin. Logging more than 10 years as a Seniors vs. Crime volunteer, John uses his background as a law enforcement officer to assist seniors and solve high-value cases. 

By assisting those who have been taken advantage of and teaching seniors how to protect themselves from scams and exploitation, we are continuing to build a Stronger, Safer Florida.

Ashley Moody is attorney general of Florida.

Continue Reading

Crypto

Electrocoin launches new cryptocurrency exchange platform, Electrocoin Trade

Published

on

Electrocoin launches new cryptocurrency exchange platform, Electrocoin Trade

Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.

Croatia’s top crypto exchange, Electrocoin, launches Electrocoin Trade, a crypto exchange platform for EU clients.

One of the biggest cryptocurrency exchange services in Croatia, Electrocoin, has recently launched their new cryptocurrency exchange platform called Electrocoin Trade, providing services for natural and legal clients in the EU.

The platform includes two core services – cryptocurrency exchange and trading service without prior registration to the platform, and cryptocurrency exchange and trading service for registered users. This way, and following the recent regulatory development in the area of crypto regulation, Electrocoin introduced the new custodial model to their service, allowing them to act as a custodian for the assets clients chose to hold on their Electrocoin Trade accounts. By registering with Electrocoin Trade, users get to entrust their cryptocurrencies for safekeeping to a highly regulated platform, as they also get access to additional trading and user experience benefits such as lower trading fees and cryptocurrency portfolio monitoring.

Regardless of the new service, Electrocoin decided to keep the old service as well – any adult citizen in the EU can buy, sell, or trade cryptocurrencies up to 1000 euros without verification or prior registration on the platform. This way, Electrocoin wanted to ensure their existing and future users had an option where they could still access crypto even if they would rather not register with the new platform. This service is possible due to regulatory approval for KYC-less money exchange under certain thresholds.

Advertisement

The platform supports cross-chain transfers and coin-to-coin swaps through a variety of protocols, including ERC-20, Polygon, BEP-20, and many more. Furthermore, with the release of the new platform, Electrocoin has also introduced one new service – paying bills with cryptocurrencies. Users of the platform can use their cryptocurrencies to settle any invoice that can be paid by bank transfer within the EU/SEPA zone. That being said, utility bills such as electricity, water, or internet, or even personal expenses such as vehicles or even real estate, can be paid with cryptocurrencies – as long as the payment recipient has a bank account number.

Electrocoin was founded back in 2014 and has since become an industry leader, introducing PayCek, a crypto payment processor, in 2018. and now the new cryptocurrency exchange platform. The company is committed to communication with the regulator and today, they count over 250,000 successful transactions, along with 24/7 available customer support with an average chat response time of one minute. Electrocoin Trade positions itself as a competitor to other top-tier European cryptocurrency exchanges, with the feature enabling the cryptocurrency exchange without prior identification specifically standing out.

To get started, visit the Electrocoin Trade website.

Disclosure: This content is provided by a third party. crypto.news does not endorse any product mentioned on this page. Users must do their own research before taking any actions related to the company.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending