UK Police Seize 20.21 Bitcoin Tied to Darknet Drug and Trafficking Networks
UK police have confiscated 20.21 bitcoin and other crypto assets and bank funds worth about $1.4 million (£1.03 million) after tracing the money to darknet marketplaces that ran between 2016 and 2019. The Avon and Somerset Police financial investigation unit said the sites, now shut down by law enforcement, were connected to drug supply and human trafficking. This is the largest cryptocurrency seizure by the force since the UK introduced crypto wallet freezing orders in April 2024, a power that allows police to freeze and recover digital assets without making an arrest first, transfer them to wallets controlled by law enforcement, and take possession of written passwords or hardware devices. The individual linked to the seized assets had previous money laundering convictions and has since passed away. Police said blockchain's permanent record of each transaction served as a key evidence source in the case. The assets were forfeited earlier this year under the Proceeds of Crime Act after a court found they represented the proceeds of unlawful conduct. The recovered funds will be used to support community and policing projects.
