UK police have made what is believed to be the world’s biggest cryptocurrency seizure, worth a staggering £5 billion ($10 billion).
A seven-year probe by London’s Metropolitan Police Force into cross-border money laundering culminated in the confiscation of 61,000 Bitcoin and the convictions of a man and woman.
Zhimin Qian, 47, a Chinese national who is also known as Yadi Zhang, admitted in court on Monday to the illegal acquisition and possession of the cryptocurrency.
Detective Sergeant Isabella Grotto, who spearheaded the investigation, stated that Qian had been “eluding justice” for five years until her apprehension.
“Her arrest set off a complicated investigation requiring evidence from several jurisdictions and meticulous examination of thousands of documents,” Grotto remarked.
Sentencing for Qian and Ling is scheduled to take place in November.
UK Security Minister Dan Jarvis said the conviction sent a “clear signal” that Britain wasn’t a “safe haven” for criminals.
“Money laundering erodes trust, undermines our economy, and fuels the rise of serious organised crime,” he said.
