Dutch police instruct Slovaks to arrest Bitcoin extortionist

A European Arrest Warrant (EAW) was issued to police officers in Žilina, working in cooperation with Dutch police, with a subsequent police sting taking place in the small northern Slovak town of Dolný Kubín on Tuesday. In the operation, Slovak police arrested a 32-year-old male suspected of extortion, confirmed Jana Balogová, spokesperson of the Regional Police in Žilina. The suspect was allegedly working with a Dutch citizen located in the Netherlands who wished to publish confidential information about a Dutch company on social networks. "He demanded payment in Bitcoin for non-disclosure," said Balogová. Criminal proceedings against both men are underway by Dutch police, with prosecutions likely in the Netherlands. A European Arrest Warrant is an arrest warrant which is valid throughout all European Union member states. When issued, it requires another member state to arrest a suspect and extradite them to the issuing state to be put on trial or complete a detention sentence.