Drug Enforcement Administration Awards 130K Contract to Chainalysis

The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has awarded Chainalysis with a $134,000 USD contract for a one year license to use their platform track cryptocurrencies used in drug related activities in Dark Web.

Cyber criminals are using Dark Web to hide their tracks when performing illegal activities like drug trafficking. Bitcoin and Monero cryptocurrencies are the preferred mode of payment for purchases on the dark web as they are hard to trace.

Authorities have deployed a wide array of different techniques to identify and ultimately convict dark web drug dealers, child pornographers, and more in the past several years.

Chainalysis has charting capabilities that have been used to show investigators how Bitcoin transactions are conducted and how they can be used as a tool to identify targets, the Bitcoin Exchanges they are using , and how to subpoena the exchanges for personally identifying information and bank information of targets . The identification of the wallets allows investigators to identify the level of trafficking conducted by the target , as well as the assets that can be seized when a search warrant takes placeChainalysis is currently being used to track targets in Canada , China , United Kingdom ,and within the United States.

Chainalysis has provided the authorities with cryptocurrency analytical tool used to help identify drug traffickers and trace their assets. This tool will be used by analysts in OSI and OSS to support field investigat i ons that involve the use of cryptocurrency . It will enhance other tools and techniques being currently used in OSS and OSI by helping to deanonyrnize the target and identify cryptocurrency exchanges the person is using.