Over a dozen cryptocurrency dealers detained

KABUL (Pajhwok): More than a dozen cryptocurrency dealers have been detained following the imposition of a ban on the business by Afghanistan’s central bank.

At least 13 individuals have been arrested as part of the clampdown, a senior counter-terrorism police officer told an American broadcaster.

Bloomberg quoted Syed Shah Sa'adaat as saying that the arrests came after some Afghan nationals invested their money in cryptocurrencies.

The police officer added: “The central bank gave us an order to stop all moneychangers from trading fraudulent digital currencies.”

Over 20 crypto-related businesses have been closed in the western city of Herat, where three-quarters of Afghanistan's crypto brokerages are based.

He cited a letter from Da Afghanistan Bank, which says that digital currency trading has led to problems and is swindling people.

“We acted and arrested all the exchangers involved in the business and closed their shops," the head of Herat’s counter-crime unit concluded.

PAN Monitor/mud