An Australian woman was arrested by police at a Sydney shopping center on May 1 after allegedly selling Bitcoin (BTC) for 60,000 Australian dollars ($38,800) in greenbacks.

According to a report from Daily Mail Australia, the woman is accused of having run a money laundering syndicate in the country since 2022.

Caught red-handed

During the abort of the 52-year-erstwhile, police force seized AU$60,000 in greenbacks, iii.eight BTC (worth $37,000 at electric current prices) and a mobile telephone. Later, officers searched a nearby apartment, finding more than mobile phones, computers and electronic storage devices, forth with a farther $xi,700 worth of Bitcoin.

The woman was charged with three counts of knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime and breaching digital currency exchange service requirements.

Money-laundering syndicate

Local detectives claim that the woman has been operating a money-laundering syndicate, which they have been actively investigating since Nov 2022. Information technology is believed that the syndicate has been running since 2022, and has transacted AU$v million ($3.23 1000000) worth of Bitcoin since that engagement.

Regarding the arrest, Cybercrime Squad commander, Detective Superintendent Matt Craft, explained:

"This is the first arrest executed by Cybercrime Squad detectives relating to non-compliant digital currency providers in New Due south Wales — and is believed to be the first of its kind across Australia."

He also sounded a alarm to other illicit providers of digital currency commutation, maxim, "Your deportment will not go unnoticed."

As Cointelegraph reported, Australian tax regime have recently undertaken major operations to encourage cryptocurrency investors to comply with their tax obligations.

Meanwhile, before this month, a top executive from the Australian Taxpayers' Brotherhood made her offset investment in Bitcoin, to the delight of the local crypto community.