Human trafficking operations made hundreds of millions of dollars last year, as cryptocurrency inflows surged 85% annually, according to Chainalysis.

The blockchain analytics company argued that its data shows this activity is increasingly linked to the growth of South East Asia scam compounds, online casinos and Chinese-language money laundering (CMLN) networks operating on Telegram.

More specifically, crypto-fuelled trafficking can be split into four main categories:

• International escort services operated on Telegram and tightly integrated with CMLNs, which facilitate the conversion of USD stablecoins into local currencies. Nearly half (49%) of transfers last year exceeded $10,000, suggesting organized criminal enterprises…