Spanish police seized two crypto cold wallets holding about €400,000 during a raid on what authorities described as the country’s largest illegal manga distribution platform.
Officers in Almería arrested three suspects and recovered the devices hidden inside a wall thermometer, linked to a site that generated more than €4 million in revenue over a decade.
The Spanish Interior Ministry said the platform had offered pirated manga content since 2014, earning income primarily through advertising.
Authorities have not confirmed whether they can access the funds stored in the seized wallets, highlighting ongoing challenges around custody and key management in crypto investigations.
The case underscores how hardware wallets are increasingly appearing in non-crypto-native crimes, expanding the scope of digital asset enforcement.
Separately, South Korean authorities have faced setbacks in handling seized crypto, including missing funds cases involving Bitcoin held in police custody.
In one instance, 22 Bitcoin disappeared from custody, while another case involving 320 BTC was linked to a leaked password in a phishing attack, underscoring risks even after asset seizure.
At the time of reporting, Bitcoin price was $78,153.14.