A group of Armenian officials from various law enforcement agencies have been trained on crypto-asset investigations to combat crypto-related crimes.

The training was conducted by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA), in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the OSCE said in a Friday press release. 

The training, held in Yerevan from April 24 to 26, brought together 27 representatives from various law enforcement agencies.

Armenian Officials Learn Techniques for Crypto Investigation

Over the course of three days, participants immersed themselves in learning fundamental techniques and practical tools crucial for conducting effective investigations into crypto-crimes. 

“Drawing from real-world cases, sessions delved into basic methods for tracing criminal transactions across diverse blockchain networks,” per the announcement. 

The training also provided a platform for the exchange of good practices among the participants, who gained valuable insights into specialized analytics software and open-source tools relevant to the field. 

These tools empower investigators to trace transactions conducted on different blockchains, assess the risks associated with specific addresses and exposure to illicit funds, and identify clusters of various transactions, among other capabilities.

“In the ever-changing landscape of financial technology, it is crucial for Armenia to strengthen its domestic law enforcement capabilities, particularly in the realm of investigating and tracing virtual assets,” Kurban Babayev, economic adviser at OCEEA, said. 

“The OSCE remains committed to aiding Armenia in its endeavors to tackle money laundering, especially in the sphere of virtual assets and cryptocurrencies.”

The training initiative is part of an OSCE-led extra-budgetary project entitled “Innovative policy solutions to mitigate money-laundering risks of virtual assets,” funded by Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom, and the United States. 

The project aims to assist OSCE participating states in developing national capacities to mitigate criminal risks associated with virtual assets and cryptocurrencies.

Countries Train Authorities on Crypto Forensics

Last year, India revealed that it has offered officials from various cybercrime and police departments training in cryptocurrency forensics and investigation during the financial year 2022–2023.

The training was aimed to equip law enforcement personnel with the necessary skills to combat cryptocurrency-related crimes.

Under the Narcotics Control Bureau, which serves as India’s central law enforcement and intelligence agency, 141 officers received training specifically focused on darknet investigations, cryptocurrencies, and workshops on digital footprints, intelligence gathering from open sources, and social media analysis.

The training comes as a survey conducted by blockchain intelligence company TRM Labs has revealed that 99% of law enforcement needs more training on crypto.

#Binance, in collaboration with Thai government agencies, hosted the first-ever blockchain and crypto training workshop for law enforcement in Thailand 🇹🇭

Topics:
🔸 Crypto fundamentals
🔸 Investigation techniques
🔸 Case studies
🔸 Crypto exchanges' roles in crime prevention. pic.twitter.com/ey0LDrrlpi

— Binance (@binance) December 7, 2022

The survey collected responses from 300 law enforcement professionals around the globe, 93% of which were from US law enforcement organizations.

Seven out of every 10 respondents reported that their crypto crime investigations are “very” or “extremely” complex, with 61% saying they lacked the adequate tools or technology to accurately support the investigations themselves.