8 BitQT distributors were closed and seized on French territory.
There are approximately 13,441 Bitcoin ATMs in 71 countries.
The Paris public prosecutor’s office placed under seal 8 Bitcoin distributors on December 18 for suspicion of aggravated money laundering and a failure to register with the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF).
8 sealed dispensers
ATMs, also known as “ Bitcoin ATMs ”, were operated under the Shitcoins brand.
France Info reports that the Lille judicial police are at the origin of the investigations, which led to the arrest and seizure of 200,000 euros in cash contained in the distributors. No arrest has yet taken place. A source close to the investigation explained:
We suspect the illicit nature of the funds because we have made the connection with a customs control at the Franco-Belgian border of employees of this company, with a little over 40,000 euros of dubious origin.
ATMs around the world
The number of distributors around the world has continued to increase. There are approximately 13,441 distributors in 71 countries.
In the United States alone, there are 11,196 ATMs or 83.2%, we find Canada and the United Kingdom in second and third places
According to Coinatmradar, there would remain only 3 distributors of BTC in activity on the French territory while more than 1,200 would be present in Europe.