NSW Police Seize 52.3 Bitcoin in Darknet Raid

New South Wales police cybercrime detectives seized 52.3 Bitcoin valued at approximately 5.7 million Australian dollars during a search warrant execution at a home in Ingleburn, southwest Sydney, on May 4, 2026. The haul, equivalent to about 4.1 million U.S. dollars, stemmed from a 15-month investigation into alleged darknet marketplace activity involving illegal drugs and weapons.

The operation, known as Strike Force Andalusia and led by the State Crime Command's Cyber Crime Squad, began in September 2024 after detectives identified a Bitcoin wallet believed to contain proceeds from criminal dealings on the darknet. Investigators traced transactions linked to the wallet, which allegedly facilitated sales of prohibited substances and firearms.

Prior to the Ingleburn raid, detectives conducted a search in Surfside on the NSW South Coast in May 2025, where they seized small amounts of cocaine, electronic devices, and about 47,000 in cryptocurrency. That action led to charges against a 39-year-old man. A 41-year-old man was charged later for his alleged role in transferring funds from the wallet. Both men are scheduled to appear in local courts: the 39-year-old in Batemans Bay...