Spanish authorities have arrested a man suspected of providing Hamas with about €600,000 ($711,000) in cryptocurrency transfers, Reuters cited regional police as saying on Friday.
The suspect, a 38-year-old Chinese national, owns a hair salon near Barcelona, the report said.
Investigators have found at least 31 crypto transactions made by the suspect to addresses of an entity suspected to belong to the Gaza-ruling terrorist group.
Police did not disclose whether the suspect was aware of the identity of the recipient, according to Reuters.
Police officers seized crypto assets, cash, some 9,000 cigars, jewelry, computers and mobile phones during searches in the man’s home and hair salon, the report continued.
The suspect’s bank accounts have also been frozen by authorities, with the total value of seized and blocked assets exceeding €370,000 ($439,000).
The 27 member states of the European Union have designated Hamas as a terrorist organization.
The use of cryptocurrencies to bypass the global financial system is a challenge for governments combating the funding of terrorist groups.
