Six Dutchmen stand trial for laundering of hundreds of thousands of Euros by allegedly reselling Bitcoins (Bitcoin) paid for by illegal drugs sales, AFP reported.
As part of an international probe, they are accused in 2015 "of money laundering, having hard drugs and preparing for the export, production and trade of hard drugs", the prosecution said on the opening day of the case in Rotterdam district court on Monday.
The suspects allegedly met with Bitcoin traders in places with public access to wifi, swapping their ill-gotten online currency acquired on the Dark Net for hard cash.
The Bitcoin traders "as opposed to normal currency exchange shops, did not ask for identification papers, nor about the origin of the Bitcoins," prosecutors said in a statement.
Appearing one by one before the court on Wednesday, the men denied the claims, or insisted they had acquired the Bitcoins legally.
Prosecutors have asked judges to impose sentences ranging from six to 36 months on the suspects. Judges will hand down a verdict on November 8.