$467K In Crypto Seized As Spain Cracks Down On Illegal Piracy Platform

bitcoinistPublished on 2026-04-24Last updated on 2026-04-24

Abstract

Spanish police seized €400,000 ($467,000) in cryptocurrency from two cold wallets hidden inside a wall thermometer during a raid in Almería. Three suspects were arrested in connection with the country’s largest illegal Spanish-language manga distribution platform, operational since 2014. The site generated over €4 million ($4.55 million) in ad revenue by offering pirated content. Authorities have not confirmed whether they can access the seized funds, as cold wallets require PINs or seed phrases. The case highlights challenges law enforcement face in handling crypto seizures, illustrated by custody failures in other countries like South Korea.

Spanish police made an unusual discovery during their raid — two crypto cold wallets tucked inside a household wall thermometer. The devices contained roughly 400,000 euros, about $467,000.

Authorities arrested three suspects in Almería in connection with what officials described as the biggest illegal Spanish-language manga distribution platform in the country’s history.

The site had been running since 2014. Over roughly a decade, it pulled in more than 4 million euros — around $4.55 million — mostly through advertising revenue. Visitors got free access to pirated manga while the operators quietly collected ad money in the background.

Spain’s Interior Ministry confirmed the arrests and the seizure. The investigation was opened in June 2025 after rights holders filed complaints against the platform.

Authorities uncovered an unusual find during the raid: two crypto cold wallets hidden inside a household wall thermometer. Source: Ministerio Del Interior

Whether Police Can Actually Access The Funds Remains Unclear

Seizing a cold wallet is one thing. Getting inside it is another.

Cold wallets require a PIN or a seed phrase to unlock. Without those credentials, the hardware is essentially useless — the funds stay locked, inaccessible to anyone, including law enforcement.

Officials have not said whether they obtained the information needed to open the devices. Spain’s Interior Ministry had not responded to requests for comment before the story was published.

Spanish National Police have dismantled a major illegal manga distribution website that had been operating since 2014 from Almería.

The site drew millions of users and earned more than 4 million € from ads

Officers arrested 3 people on intellectual property crime charges.... pic.twitter.com/RtkDie2kfw

— Pirat_Nation 🔴 (@Pirat_Nation) April 22, 2026

The case puts a spotlight on a problem that police departments worldwide are still working through. Hardware wallets are showing up in investigations that have nothing to do with crypto fraud or digital currency schemes. Piracy operations, it turns out, are now storing earnings the same way crypto investors do.

BTCUSD currently trading at $77,860. Chart: TradingView

South Korea Has Faced Its Own Custody Failures

Even when authorities can access seized crypto, holding onto it has proven difficult. South Korea has dealt with two high-profile losses of confiscated digital assets in recent years.

In one case, about 22 Bitcoin — valued at $1.5 million at the time — went missing from the Gangnam Police Station.

The funds had been seized in 2021 and vanished without the cold wallet being physically stolen, according to reports. A nationwide audit of digital asset custody practices uncovered the loss.

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