The Investigative Committee of Belarus is already actively seizing cryptocurrencies. This was stated by the head of the agency, Dmitry Hora, in an interview with local media.<\/p>\n
According to him, investigators have faced the need to seize crypto assets in light of their use in various kinds of crimes:<\/p>\n
\n“What is cryptocurrency? As my more advanced subordinates say \u2014 digital garbage. Based on this, I set the task: our state needs money to reimburse the damage caused, let’s think about how to turn garbage into money. I won’t go into the details, but we have learned how to do it.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
He noted that both state agencies and commercial organisations are involved in the process.<\/p>\n
Hora stated that as a result of the department’s actions more than a hundred million rubles “in normal money” are already on the Investigative Committee’s accounts.<\/p>\n
Earlier in April, the Belarusian Ministry of Justice defined the procedure for confiscating digital currencies<\/a> as part of enforcement proceedings. The document was adopted to implement the directive on creating a registry of Bitcoin wallets<\/a>, used in illicit activity.<\/p>\n
According to lawyers, the mechanisms for confiscation and subsequent sale of digital assets described in the decree are unclear and require clarification.<\/p>\n