RosFinMonitoring reported that digital currencies are often used by criminal communities that sell drugs.

It clarifies the TASS with reference to the report of the Ministry, in the years 2017-2018 RosFinMonitoring repeatedly recorded cases of the use of bitcoin in financing the sale and purchase of drugs. In 23 Russian regions, especially large amounts of cryptocurrency in such transactions were noted.

Bitcoin and other coins were used not only as means of payment between buyers and sellers of drugs, but also to finance the activities of criminal gangs, pay for employees of drug laboratories, and other related operations.

The ministry emphasizes that the main reason for the criminal use of digital currencies is the anonymity of transactions. Regulators do not control the movement of coins, which is what traffickers use.