Sweden Orders Police to Increase Seizures of Criminal Crypto Profits
Sweden's Minister of Justice, Gunnar Strömmer, has urged police and enforcement agencies to intensify efforts to seize criminal profits, including cryptocurrency, leveraging new forfeiture legislation. This law allows authorities to confiscate assets suspected of being obtained illegally without needing to prove an actual offense. Strömmer emphasized the importance of cooperation among agencies to target high-profit assets, noting that the legislation has already led to the seizure of $8.4 million worth of property. Some legislators are advocating for a national Bitcoin reserve, similar to initiatives in other countries. Dennis Dioukarev supports increased seizure activities and suggests that confiscated cryptocurrencies should be transferred to Sweden's central bank to build a strategic reserve. However, the government has not clarified plans for managing seized digital assets. A report indicated that 62,000 individuals are linked to criminal networks in Sweden, with significant involvement in cryptocurrency-related crimes. Law enforcement has been urged to enhance its presence on crypto exchange platforms to combat money laundering.
