The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) is taking steps to increase its focus on cryptocurrency crime and fight criminals.
The NCA’s cyber focus command, the National Cyber Crime Unit (NCCU), has launched a dedicated cryptocurrency unit to investigate UK cyber incidents involving the use of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC).
Called the “NCCU Crypto Cell,” the crypto-focused unit will initially contain five officers dedicated to “proactive cryptocurrency remit.”
“This is an exciting opportunity to work as a team on the front lines to protect the UK from cyber crime,” NCA director of infrastructure investigations Chris Lewis-Evans told Cointelegraph. He added:
“Cryptocurrency and virtual assets are widely regarded as an area of specialist knowledge, and this role is key to supporting the NCA’s investigations into their use to enable serious criminality.”
As part of the project, NCA is look to hire cryptocurrency investigators with good knowledge of crypto and strong experience to conduct blockchain forensic investigations of serious and organized crime.
The NCA’s future crypto crime fighters will be required to provide strategic and tactical advice to investigators on cases involving crypto, supporting existing and new investigations. These positions require experience in identifying and recovering seed phrase in addition to advanced tracking through blockchains.
The position offers an annual salary between 40,200 British pounds ($48,200) and 43,705 pounds ($52,400). Candidates are invited to apply before 10 January 2023.
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The NCA’s move aims to increase the regulatory focus on crypto assets in the UK amid government calls to stamp out “dirty money” in the country. In September 2022, the British government introduced a bill that aims to eliminate money laundering and fraud, especially by expanding. authorities’ ability to seize crypto used for illegal purposes.
According to the chief of detectives of the National Council of Police Chiefs Andy Gould, all police forces in UK has all officers trained to investigate involving the confiscation and enforcement of crypto from October 2022.
