Interpol HAECHI VI Seizes $97M Crypto, Freezes 68K Accounts
Interpol’s Operation HAECHI VI, conducted from April to August, spanned over 40 countries to combat online fraud. The operation executed a major crypto seizure campaign, freezing more than 68,000 bank accounts and nearly 400 crypto wallets. Authorities recovered $439 million in illicit assets, including $97 million in cryptocurrencies. About $16 million of seized crypto has been traced and returned to victims. Notable recoveries include $6.6 million seized by Thai police and $3.9 million repatriated to South Korea. Portugal arrested 45 suspects linked to phishing, telecom fraud, romance scams and money laundering. This coordinated digital asset recovery and crypto seizure effort underscores intensifying global cooperation and increased regulatory scrutiny. Crypto traders should watch potential market volatility and the impact of heightened compliance on privacy-focused tokens.
Neutral
Because this large-scale law enforcement operation focuses on recovering stolen funds rather than targeting specific tokens, its direct impact on market prices is likely limited. However, the heightened global cooperation and regulatory scrutiny evidenced by the crypto seizure campaign could increase compliance costs and sell pressure on anonymity-focused coins in the short term. In the long term, improved security and reduced fraud may bolster market confidence and stability. Overall, the news is neutral for major cryptocurrencies but may exert localized bearish pressure on privacy tokens.