Law enforcement and financial regulatory authorities in the Maldives have concluded an intensive training programme focused on cryptocurrency-related investigations, aimed at strengthening the nation's response to digital financial crime. Conducted from 20 to 21 July, the programme brought together 28 officials from key institutions for sessions led by experts from the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL).
The participant cohort included personnel from the Maldivian Police Service (MPS), the Prosecutor General's Office, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), and the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA), underscoring a coordinated, multi-agency approach to tackling offences involving emerging financial technologies.
INTERPOL's Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre facilitated the training, with an operational support team travelling to the Maldives to deliver the sessions on site. The curriculum, according to the MPS, was tailored to equip investigators with practical tools to address the operational and technical complexities associated with blockchain transactions and cryptocurrency-linked criminal activity.
Instructors, according to the MPS, provided guidance on the foundational principles of blockchain technology and examined techniques frequently deployed in the illicit use of major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. To strengthen investigative outcomes, participants were trained in structuring casework to mitigate procedural and technological challenges unique to crypto-financial environments, the MPS added.