The Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau (CSTCB) conducted four seminars on "Introduction to Cryptocurrency Investigation" in October and November to enhance frontline detectives' knowledge of cryptocurrency and their ability to investigate cryptocurrency-related crimes. Over 800 frontline officers from various criminal investigation units participated in the seminars.

Delivering opening remarks at the seminars, Senior Superintendent Law Yuet-wing of CSTCB highlighted the fact that cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, were increasingly linked to criminal activities and have even become a tool for money laundering. Officers should therefore enhance their capabilities and efficiency of criminal investigation to keep abreast of technological development. Then Chief Inspector Chu Ming-lun and Senior Inspector Ip Cheuk-yu of CSTCB explained the operation of cryptocurrency and shared their experience of cryptocurrency investigation. They also introduced CSTCB's new support services for investigators.

The seminars were one of the initiatives introduced by the CSTCB's Virtual Currencies Working Group. Established in 2017, the working group aims at enhancing officers' capabilities of combating crimes related to virtual currencies through extracting intelligence from blockchain data, exploring the procedures of freezing and seizure of virtual currencies, and strengthening information exchange with local virtual currency exchange platforms. In this connection, the CSTCB will conduct a Knowledge Café session and a Detective Casebook Series in late November and December respectively with the aim of enhancing the knowledge of officers on virtual currencies.