BroadChain learned that on April 24 at 15:16, according to Bitcoinist, Spanish police dismantled an illegal comic distribution platform operating since 2014 in Almería, seizing two encrypted cold wallets hidden inside household thermometers, containing approximately 400,000 euros (about $467,000). The platform had accumulated over 4 million euros (about $4.55 million) in profits through advertising revenue, and three suspects were arrested for intellectual property crimes.
Although the cold wallets have been confiscated, it remains uncertain whether the police can unlock the funds. Cold wallets require a PIN code or seed phrase for access; without these credentials, the hardware is essentially useless. The Spanish Ministry of the Interior has not yet responded to whether the unlocking information has been obtained.
This case highlights the challenges faced by law enforcement globally: hardware wallets are now appearing in investigations unrelated to cryptocurrency scams, and pirate platforms are storing their earnings like crypto investors. Previously, South Korea experienced two incidents of lost seized crypto assets, including approximately 22 BTC (worth $1.5 million at the time) from the Gangnam Police Station, which disappeared without being physically stolen.