- Structured networks behind crimes, say police.
- Some individuals suspected of carrying out multiple attacks.
- “Recruiters” looking for criminal accomplices on Telegram channels, prosecutors say.
Police in France say 75 suspects are in pre-trial detention after attempting to kidnap crypto owners or their families — and demand Bitcoin and altcoins in exchange for their release.
The National Prosecutor’s Office organised crime-fighting unit, also known as Pnaco, called the cases a “phenomenon that is evolving rapidly.” Just three such cases were reported in 2023, with numbers ballooning to 18 in 2024 and skyrocketing 272% last year, Pnaco said.
“We’ve identified multiple individuals who are involved in several cases,” said…
