In the business center 'Moscow-City' of the Russian capital, security forces are conducting searches at cryptocurrency exchange operators, seizing equipment and large amounts of cash, reported a Telegram channel close to the police and FSB, Baza.
The checks have been ongoing for several weeks and are prompted by an investigation into the outflow of capital abroad, particularly to Dubai and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The cryptocurrency services Rapira and Mosca have attracted the closest attention of the security forces.
"A week ago, more than 10 million dollars, 100 million rubles, and 200 thousand euros were seized at one of these points. Currently, the funds are frozen in several Chinese exchanges," reports Baza.
The security forces are checking the number of cards that are issued by exchange firms to different individuals, and are searching for courier droppers, as well as contact lists that allow access to other exchanges.
According to sources at Baza, the checks are taking place without initiating a criminal case. Lawyers for the owners of cryptocurrency exchange services from the "Mushailov, Uzdensky, Rybakov and Partners" bureau refused to comment to the Telegram channel.
Another Russian Telegram channel, "VChK-OGPU," reported that on September 25, security forces arrived in "Moscow-City" searching for "offices working with crypto" that were making payments "to factories in China."