In the UK, the Lancashire County Police made a profit of £500,000 ($665,000) from the sale of confiscated 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 remaining balance, 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 cryptocurrency 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 funds obtained to reduce crime levels and support various initiatives.
