Key facts
- Irish authorities seized an additional 500 Bitcoin.
- The seizure was conducted in collaboration with Europol.
- The total Bitcoin seized by Ireland's Criminal Assets Bureau in 2026 is now 1,500 BTC.
- The total value of seized Bitcoin in 2026 is approximately $92.4 million.
- A wallet linked to convicted drug dealer Clifton Collins moved 500 Bitcoin on the same day.
Irish authorities have seized an additional 500 Bitcoin, valued at approximately $30.9 million, through a collaboration between the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) and Europol's European Cybercrime Centre. This latest recovery brings the total amount of Bitcoin seized by CAB in 2026 to 1,500 BTC, with an estimated total value of $92.4 million. The agency did not disclose details of the investigation or the identity of the wallet owner.
The recent seizure follows a similar recovery months prior, where CAB accessed a wallet containing 500 Bitcoin. Irish media reports have linked these wallets to Clifton Collins, a convicted drug dealer who reportedly purchased 6,000 Bitcoin between late 2011 and early 2012. According to The Irish Times, authorities gained access to a wallet in March that was one of 12 holding Collins' original stash, with the private keys reportedly lost. While not officially confirmed, a wallet address associated with Collins moved 500 Bitcoin on Thursday, the same day as the latest seizure. Wallets linked to Collins are still believed to hold approximately 4,500 Bitcoin, currently valued at around $277 million.