The United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) is looking for two experienced crypto investigators to join its newly-established digital assets team. The team will focus on tackling complex financial crimes involving cryptocurrency and other digital assets.

According to the job posting on LinkedIn, the candidates will be responsible for leading and overseeing investigations related to cryptocurrency and digital assets from a Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) perspective. The POCA is a law that allows the authorities to confiscate and redirect money obtained from criminal activities for community benefit.

The ideal candidates will be existing members of the police staff who have certification and accreditation as financial investigators (AFI). They will also have knowledge and experience in blockchain analysis, criminal investigation, and relevant legislation.

The salary for the position is around 47,380 British pounds ($61,076.37) per year, plus other civil service benefits. The deadline for applications is October 31, 2021.

The NCA is the UK’s leading agency for fighting serious and organized crime, such as cybercrime, human trafficking, drug trafficking, money laundering, etc. The agency has been increasing its focus on crypto assets in recent years, as they have become more popular and widely used by criminals and terrorists.

In January 2023, the NCA launched a dedicated cryptocurrency unit called NCCU Crypto Cell, which aims to investigate cyber incidents involving the use of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC). The unit works closely with other law enforcement agencies and partners to combat crypto-related threats and crimes.

Chris Lewis-Evans, the director of infrastructure investigations at the NCA, told Cointelegraph in January that the NCCU Crypto Cell was “a really exciting opportunity” that involved “working in a team at the forefront of protecting the UK from cybercrime.”

The NCA’s recruitment of crypto experts reflects the growing regulatory attention and scrutiny on crypto assets in the UK. The government has been calling for more action to eliminate “dirty money” in the country and to ensure compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) rules.

In June 2021, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the UK’s financial watchdog, issued a warning to consumers about the risks of investing in crypto assets. The FCA also announced that it had ordered Binance, one of the world’s largest crypto exchanges, to stop offering regulated services in the UK without its authorization.

The FCA also requires all crypto asset firms operating in the UK to register with it and to demonstrate that they have adequate systems and controls to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing. However, as of July 2021, only six firms had been registered by the FCA, while dozens more were still under review or had withdrawn their applications.