The proposed cryptocurrency bill by the Cook Islands validates carrying out criminal activities, raising cybersecurity concerns.  



As the crypto community is fighting for standardized legislation, Cook Islands proposed a Tainted Cryptocurrency Recovery Bill that involves hacking for crypto investigation. The bill has been tabled in Parliament to assist recovery agents in using a variety of hacking tricks to investigate cryptocurrencies for illegal matters and crypto crimes.    



What’s Inside The Proposed Legislation On Cryptocurrency



A controversial new bill proposed in the Cook Islands has set the alarm among the legislative authorities and experts operating in the field of cryptocurrency.  



The Tainted Cryptocurrency Recovery Bill 2023 was drafted by Drumcliffe, a US-based company accountable for debt collection specializing in international asset seizure.   



During an inquiry, Drumcliffe engaged at least two local lawyers to formulate the Tainted Cryptocurrency Recovery Bill 2023. However, the Cook Islands’ Crown Law Office has revealed that it was not involved in the bill’s creation.



Now presented to Parliament, the bill could have significant and far-reaching effects internationally. 



In a recent Select Committee session, the Deputy Solicitor General of the Cook Islands, David Greig, criticized the bill as inadequate and pointed out that certain aspects are unconstitutional.



The proposed legislation permits “recovery agents” to employ various methods, including hacking, to track down and recover cryptocurrencies that might be linked to illegal activities or constitute crime earnings. 



The process involves seizing international assets, transforming them into cash, and depositing the funds into a Cook Islands bank account. It’s suggested that this could generate revenue and economically benefit the Cook Islands.



The rise in cybersecurity attacks targeting crypto exchanges and wallets somehow makes it challenging to accept the cryptocurrency bill. 



Hackers are continuously developing new tactics to breach security systems, and the utilization of hacking for investigation somehow assists black hat hackers in accessing crypto wallets. 



Another major challenge is the shortage of talented cybersecurity professionals, which makes it challenging for the legislation to safeguard organizations from any kind of security breach or respond to cyber incidents. 



Furthermore, supporting hacking tactics also raises challenges to privacy and civil liberties and may result in the misuse of hacking techniques. 



Despite several disadvantages, the bill aims to address problems related to illegal activities involving cryptocurrencies. The ability to recover stolen assets and minimize the crime rate is one of the major benefits of the respective cryptocurrency bill.  



Permitting recovery to the agents to investigate the crime cases in depth will disrupt illegal actions.  







The Cook Islands Prime Minister’s Response



Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, Mark Brown, who had previously not addressed inquiries, issued a statement today. In it, he clarified that the proposed bill aims to strengthen the global battle against cybercrime.



Brown indicated that the feedback received by the Select Committee might lead to aligning the bill more with global anti-crime efforts and fitting within a worldwide agreement. 



He expressed his assurance that any legislation passed would stick to the Cook Islands’ constitutional framework and harmonize with international agreements and legal standards.
Steve Anderrson Steve Anderson is an Australian crypto enthusiast. He is a specialist in management and trading for over 5 years. Steve has worked as a crypto trader, he loves learning about decentralisation, understanding the true potential of the blockchain.