24th August 2019
https://ciphertrace.com/q2-2019-cryptocurrency-anti-money-laundering-report/
AUSTRALIA: MAN CHARGED AFTER ALLEGEDLY SMUGGLING 13 KG PRECURSOR CHEMICALS IN HIS LUGGAGE
On 24th August, Mirage News reported that a 35-year-old Australian man has been arrested and charged at Melbourne International Airport after Australian Border Force (ABF) officers found approximately 13 kg of pseudoephedrine in his luggage. Pseudoephedrine is a precursor commonly used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.
INDIA: 820 KG SMUGGLED SEA CUCUMBERS HEADING TO SRI LANKA SEIZED
The Weather Channel on 23rd August reported that, more than 800 kg of live sea cucumbers, packed in 69 jute bags and which were meant to be smuggled to Sri Lanka, have been seized by Indian customs officials. Much of the sea cucumbers smuggled out of Tamil Nadu go to Sri Lanka and other SE Asian countries, where they are consumed as food and used to prepare medicines. Sea cucumbers are categorised an endangered species and their harvest is banned under the Wildlife Protection Act in India.
https://weather.com/en-IN/india/news/news/2019-08-23-sea-cucumber-gulf-of-mannar-illegal-smuggling
AUSTRALIA BUSTS E-SPORTS FIXERS AND RUSSIA WANTS E-SPORTS BAN
On 23rd August, Calvin Ayre reported that –
Australia has busted an eSports match-fixing ring: with 6 men suspected of arranging the outcome of a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournament; and
Russian legislators want to ban all eSports betting in Russia: the current law prohibits Russian bookmakers from taking bets on competitions involving underage athletes but some deputies in the Duma want to insert the phrase “and computer sports competitions” into the list of prohibited markets.
https://calvinayre.com/2019/08/23/business/australia-esports-fixers-russia-betting-ban/
https://www.rferl.org/a/remittances-to-ukraine-where-do-they-come-from-/30125549.html
TAIWAN AND PORTUGAL CO-OPERATE TO BUST CROSS-BORDER FRAUD RING
On 24th August, Focus Taiwan reported that the Taiwanese Criminal Investigation Bureau said it has busted a cross-border fraud ring run by Taiwanese nationals in a joint operation carried out with authorities in Portugal. Portuguese police arrested 19 Taiwanese who were allegedly running a scam operation in the Portuguese town of Cascais outside of Lisbon, and allegedly posed as police officers to scam their victims in China by tricking them into transferring money into designated accounts.
http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201908240009.aspx
IRAN ANNOUNCES ‘SANCTIONS’ AGAINST WASHINGTON-BASED THINK TANK
On 24th August, Rferl reported that Iran’s Foreign Ministry says it has imposed sanctions on the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies and its CEO – saying the organisation has promoted sanctions and “economic terrorism” against Iran.
https://www.rferl.org/a/30127178.html
US MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO RUNNING $25 MILLION BITCOIN LAUNDERING SCHEME
Coin Telegraph on 24th August reported that a Los Angeles man, Kunal Kalra, 25, pleaded guilty to running a $25 million Bitcoin money laundering scheme and sale of methamphetamine.
https://cointelegraph.com/news/us-man-pleads-guilty-to-running-25-million-bitcoin-laundering-scheme
http://www.thecybersecurityhub.com/
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