The Criminal Assets Bureau, working with Europol, tied the bitcoin to Irish drug dealer Clifton Collins and a lost drug stash; reports said he had hidden private keys inside fishing rods.
Ireland’s Criminal Assets Bureau seized 500 BTC worth approximately €27 million with assistance from Europol (European Union law enforcement agency) in a case linked to Irish drug dealer Clifton Collins. The bitcoin was connected to Collins’ lost drug stash, and reports said he had printed his private keys (secret codes controlling crypto access) on paper and hidden them inside fishing rods. The seizure highlights how law enforcement can target digital assets in criminal cases when investigators are able to trace or recover access credentials.