Dutch police seize first ever NFTs as part of stolen data investigation
Dutch police are celebrating their first ever NFT seizure after two raids earlier this month turned up a number of blockchain-powered digital certificates and an undisclosed amount of crypto.
As reported by local outlet NLTimes, the NFTs were snatched two weeks ago when authorities swooped on residential addresses in Weesp and Hilversum in the north of the country.
The raids were part of an ongoing investigation into widespread illegal selling of personal data. Two men aged 19 and 23 were arrested, presumably due to allegations of exploiting stolen data to steal crypto tokens like NFTs.
Dutch police have not revealed exactly what the NFTs are or how they managed to gain access.
However, a tech expert told Dutch outlet NOS that it was likely authorities had obtained the suspects’ private keys with a court order, which allowed them to seize the NFTs.
The fuzz also doesn’t have solid plans in place to handle the seized loot — or even what it’s worth. A Dutch court will apparently decide.
“If the judge decides that we can auction them, then it will become clear what they will yield,” a police spokesperson explained (via NOS).
“Now we do not dare to estimate that because the value fluctuates greatly.”
Read more: [Apple store gunman who demanded $220M crypto ransom dies by cop car]
The crypto captured in the raids adds to the Netherlands’ already impressive and ever-growing tally of seized digital assets.
Dutch police confiscated nearly €35 million ($39 million) worth of crypto assets last year.
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