#LATEST BRAKING NEWS James Howells, a Welsh IT worker, has indeed ended his 12-year search for a hard drive containing 8,000 Bitcoins, now valued at approximately $742 million, which he accidentally threw away in 2013. The hard drive is buried in a Newport, Wales landfill site, and Howells' efforts to recover it have been met with repeated rejection from local authorities.

*The Quest for Recovery*

- Howells proposed a £10-11 million excavation plan, involving AI-powered drones, robotic systems, and a team of experts to safely search the landfill without causing environmental damage.

- He offered the Newport City Council a share of the recovered Bitcoin, initially 25% and later 30%, but was met with refusal.

- Howells even suggested developing a community-owned mining facility on the landfill site using solar or wind power ¹ ².

*Challenges and Setbacks*

- The Newport City Council cited potential environmental harm, cost concerns, and regulatory issues as reasons for denying permission for excavation.

- A High Court judge dismissed Howells' claim in January 2025, ruling that it had "no realistic prospect of succeeding".

- The council argued that the device is now their property, as it was disposed of in the landfill site.

*The End of the Search*

- After 12 years of failed attempts, Howells has finally given up on recovering the hard drive, leaving the $742 million worth of Bitcoin likely lost forever.

- His story serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of securing cryptocurrency private keys and the potential consequences of losing them ¹ ³.