In the United Kingdom, Lancashire County Police made a profit of £500,000 ($665,000) from the sale of seized bitcoins. In 2017, criminals stole money and converted it into cryptocurrency, which was later seized and frozen. During a lengthy investigation, law enforcement sold the bitcoins, the value of which had increased over the years, and were able to fully compensate the victim for the damages. The remainder, about £1 million ($1.3 million), was divided between the Home Office and the Lancashire department to fund crime-fighting efforts — previously, such funds were used to purchase equipment and support anti-drug projects. This practice of seizing and selling cryptocurrencies is becoming increasingly popular in the UK: in 2021, assets worth $250 million were confiscated, and in 2024, $1.77 billion. The law allows the police to use the proceeds to reduce crime and support various initiatives.
