Ukraine: Law agents receive training in digital asset investigations

Following a spike in digital crime, 14 Ukrainian officials have completed an advanced training course on investigating digital currency offenses to increase their supervision over the sector.

The course, put together by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), was designed to sharpen the skills of selected Ukrainian officials. According to OSCE’s statement, attendees to the course received training on state-of-the-art tools required to investigate digital currency crimes.

Run in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the course aims to provide law enforcement with the skillset to stifle the use of digital currencies in narcotics, terrorism financing, money laundering, and fraud.

“With the growing use of virtual assets and cryptocurrencies in Ukraine, there is a pressing need to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement and supervisory bodies,” said Ralf Ernst, Acting Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities. “This is essential for effective investigations, enhancing Ukraine’s resilience against money laundering and other financial crimes.”

Both supervisory and law enforcement received training on on-chain tracking of funds, the use of specialized software, and the nature of blockchain. Held in Vienna, the course utilized case studies with practical examples to introduce attendees to industry best practices for investigating digital currency offenses.

Ukrainian officials have previously received advanced digital asset training from the OSCE, with the organization hinting at further courses in the coming months. Previous courses have resulted in victories against industry bad actors, with Ukrainian officials teaming up with stablecoin issuer Tether to freeze addresses associated with terrorist activity.

“This is the second training on investigation of virtual assets for Ukrainian officials, and the OSCE will continue to support Ukraine’s efforts to combat money laundering, particularly through virtual assets and cryptocurrencies,” said Ernst.

Apart from Ukraine, the course provided training from law enforcement agencies from Georgia and Moldova with funding supplied by Romania, Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Sharpening Web3 investigative skills

In early November, up to 3,000 Indian police officers received blockchain forensics training to stem the tide of rising Web3 crimes. Organized by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre and the Narcotic Control Bureau, attendees gained practical insights on asset recovery, tracing, evidence collection, and other international collaboration strategies.

Regulators around the world have begun launching dedicated units with specialized skill sets to spearhead digital currency investigations, citing the technical and novel nature of the asset class. South Korea and the U.S. are leading examples of jurisdictions with specialized digital currency investigation units, with other nations keen on toeing the same path.