<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The UK’s National Crime Agency is recruiting a group of law enforcement officers to investigate crypto crimes, after a year where crypto hacks globally </span><a href="https://www.theblock.co/post/196941/the-biggest-crypto-hacks-of-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">totalled</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> $3 billion.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As part of the national cyber crime unit "crypto cell," investigators “will be dedicated to a proactive cryptocurrency remit with the right tools and capabilities to target UK based subjects,” according to a job advert </span><a href="https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/jobs.cgi?jcode=1828644" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">posted</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> on the government's website, first reported by <a href="https://www.fnlondon.com/articles/crypto-crime-uk-nca-job-anti-money-laundering-national-crime-agency-digital-fraud-20230104">Financial News</a>. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Financial Conduct Authority found that crypto was the </span><a href="https://www.theblock.co/post/177753/crypto-is-lead-sector-for-financial-scam-alerts-in-the-uk-fca" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">leading</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> sector for financial scam alerts in the UK between March 2021 and April 2022. The regulator opened 432 cases looking into crypto-related scams during that period.</span></p> <p>When <span style="font-weight: 400;">Rishi Sunak was elevated to</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Prime Minister in late-October by members of the Conservative party, there was <a href="https://www.theblock.co/post/179331/uk-crypto-hub-and-official-nft-plans-could-be-back-on-as-sunak-wins-leadership">speculation</a> that could mean that the UK was on course for more crypto-friendly legislation under his leadership term.</span></p><br /><span class="copyright"><p>© 2023 The Block Crypto, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.</p> </span>