{"id":376105,"date":"2025-02-27T17:32:13","date_gmt":"2025-02-27T12:02:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/uk-introduces-new-crime-bill-expanding-powers-for-crypto-seizures-crypto-news\/"},"modified":"2025-02-27T17:36:14","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T12:06:14","slug":"uk-introduces-new-crime-bill-expanding-powers-for-crypto-seizures-crypto-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/uk-introduces-new-crime-bill-expanding-powers-for-crypto-seizures-crypto-news\/","title":{"rendered":"UK Introduces New Crime Bill Expanding Powers for Crypto Seizures &#8211; Crypto News"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"position:relative;overflow:visible;font-size:1.2em;line-height:1.58\">\n<p class=\"font-meta-serif-pro scene:font-noto-sans scene:text-base scene:md:text-lg font-normal text-lg md:text-xl md:leading-9 tracking-px text-body gg-dark:text-neutral-100\">The U.K. government has introduced a new bill expanding its powers to seize and destroy crypto linked to criminal activity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-meta-serif-pro scene:font-noto-sans scene:text-base scene:md:text-lg font-normal text-lg md:text-xl md:leading-9 tracking-px text-body gg-dark:text-neutral-100\">Following the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/publications.parliament.uk\/pa\/bills\/cbill\/59-01\/0187\/240187.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"sc-adb616fe-0 bJsyml\">Crime and Policing Bill\u2019s<\/a> first reading in the House of Commons, the bill is now <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bills.parliament.uk\/bills\/3938\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"sc-adb616fe-0 bJsyml\">undergoing<\/a> its second reading and will soon proceed to the committee stage.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-meta-serif-pro scene:font-noto-sans scene:text-base scene:md:text-lg font-normal text-lg md:text-xl md:leading-9 tracking-px text-body gg-dark:text-neutral-100\">The new legislation seeks to improve law enforcement\u2019s ability to confiscate illicit crypto assets and return them to victims, while also bolstering the country\u2019s overall approach to economic crime.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-meta-serif-pro scene:font-noto-sans scene:text-base scene:md:text-lg font-normal text-lg md:text-xl md:leading-9 tracking-px text-body gg-dark:text-neutral-100\">A key provision of the bill grants the Crown Court extended powers to handle confiscation orders involving crypto.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-meta-serif-pro scene:font-noto-sans scene:text-base scene:md:text-lg font-normal text-lg md:text-xl md:leading-9 tracking-px text-body gg-dark:text-neutral-100\">The Crown Court is a UK court that handles serious criminal cases such as murder, fraud, and robbery. It also has the authority to pass major sentences.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-meta-serif-pro scene:font-noto-sans scene:text-base scene:md:text-lg font-normal text-lg md:text-xl md:leading-9 tracking-px text-body gg-dark:text-neutral-100\">The bill also outlines how to handle assets that must be destroyed, ensuring their value is properly assessed based on market prices at the time of destruction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-meta-serif-pro scene:font-noto-sans scene:text-base scene:md:text-lg font-normal text-lg md:text-xl md:leading-9 tracking-px text-body gg-dark:text-neutral-100\">In addition to expanding seizure powers, the bill includes provisions to simplify the asset recovery process, allowing law enforcement to recover stolen funds and redirect them to victims.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-meta-serif-pro scene:font-noto-sans scene:text-base scene:md:text-lg font-normal text-lg md:text-xl md:leading-9 tracking-px text-body gg-dark:text-neutral-100\">The bill strives to ensure that those responsible for crimes involving digital assets do not retain the benefits of their illegal activities.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-meta-serif-pro scene:font-noto-sans scene:text-base scene:md:text-lg font-normal text-lg md:text-xl md:leading-9 tracking-px text-body gg-dark:text-neutral-100\">This new bill complements the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legislation.gov.uk\/ukpga\/2023\/56\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"sc-adb616fe-0 bJsyml\">Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act<\/a> (EECTA) passed in 2023, which gave law enforcement additional powers to freeze and seize crypto.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-meta-serif-pro scene:font-noto-sans scene:text-base scene:md:text-lg font-normal text-lg md:text-xl md:leading-9 tracking-px text-body gg-dark:text-neutral-100\">The EECTA also aimed to improve corporate accountability in financial crimes. Now, this new bill enhances these measures to address the growing threats posed by crypto crime.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-5a71bf1f-3 fdWwrx gg-dark:text-white scene:font-itc-avant-garde-gothic-pro scene:font-light\" style=\"margin-top:2em;text-align:left\" color=\"#333\" opacity=\"1\"><b>Crypto Crime on the Rise in the UK<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"font-meta-serif-pro scene:font-noto-sans scene:text-base scene:md:text-lg font-normal text-lg md:text-xl md:leading-9 tracking-px text-body gg-dark:text-neutral-100\">The UK has been facing a surge in crypto-related crimes, with illicit transactions linked to the country estimated to be between $1.7 billion and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/decrypt.co\/245063\/5-1-billion-in-illicit-crypto-transactions-linked-to-uk-every-year-nca\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"sc-adb616fe-0 bJsyml\">$5.1 billion<\/a> annually, according to the UK&#8217;s National Crime Agency.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-meta-serif-pro scene:font-noto-sans scene:text-base scene:md:text-lg font-normal text-lg md:text-xl md:leading-9 tracking-px text-body gg-dark:text-neutral-100\">One of the most disturbing trends involves violent home invasions aimed at stealing digital assets.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-meta-serif-pro scene:font-noto-sans scene:text-base scene:md:text-lg font-normal text-lg md:text-xl md:leading-9 tracking-px text-body gg-dark:text-neutral-100\">A group of <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/decrypt.co\/303832\/british-men-jailed-brutal-crypto-theft\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"sc-adb616fe-0 bJsyml\">seven British men<\/a> was sentenced to a total of 76 years in prison in January after kidnapping and torturing a man to force him to transfer hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of crypto.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-meta-serif-pro scene:font-noto-sans scene:text-base scene:md:text-lg font-normal text-lg md:text-xl md:leading-9 tracking-px text-body gg-dark:text-neutral-100\">Another shocking case involved a home invasion in 2020. During the attack, a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/decrypt.co\/247564\/uk-authorities-seize-convert-144000-of-bitcoin-stolen-in-machete-home-invasion\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"sc-adb616fe-0 bJsyml\">Scotland-based victim<\/a> was threatened with a machete and made to hand over his crypto.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-meta-serif-pro scene:font-noto-sans scene:text-base scene:md:text-lg font-normal text-lg md:text-xl md:leading-9 tracking-px text-body gg-dark:text-neutral-100\">The machete attackers were eventually caught, but not before causing significant harm and distress to the victim.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-meta-serif-pro scene:font-noto-sans scene:text-base scene:md:text-lg font-normal text-lg md:text-xl md:leading-9 tracking-px text-body gg-dark:text-neutral-100\">Apart from violent crimes, fraud and money laundering related to crypto are also rampant.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-meta-serif-pro scene:font-noto-sans scene:text-base scene:md:text-lg font-normal text-lg md:text-xl md:leading-9 tracking-px text-body gg-dark:text-neutral-100\">In 2017, a gang of fraudsters exploited a loophole in an Australian exchange, CoinSpot, which allowed them to withdraw large sums of money. It went undetected for some time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-meta-serif-pro scene:font-noto-sans scene:text-base scene:md:text-lg font-normal text-lg md:text-xl md:leading-9 tracking-px text-body gg-dark:text-neutral-100\">The group were jailed for money laundering, and the court <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/decrypt.co\/302013\/bitcoin-fraudsters-repay-30-million\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"sc-adb616fe-0 bJsyml\">ordered them to repay $30 million<\/a> in stolen funds last month.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-meta-serif-pro scene:font-noto-sans scene:text-base scene:md:text-lg font-normal text-lg md:text-xl md:leading-9 tracking-px text-body gg-dark:text-neutral-100\"><i>Edited by <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/decrypt.co\/author\/stacy\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"sc-adb616fe-0 bJsyml\">Stacy Elliott<\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n<div class=\"my-4 border-b border-decryptGridline\">\n<div class=\"text-start p-8 md:py-12 md:px-12 max-w-prose relative\"><span class=\"border-t-4 border-l-4 w-4 h-4 md:border-t-[6px] md:border-l-[6px] md:w-6 md:h-6 border-decryptPurple dark:border-decryptNeon gg-dark:border-cc-pink-2 absolute top-4 left-4 md:top-6 md:left-6\"\/><span class=\"border-t-4 border-l-4 w-4 h-4 md:border-t-[6px] md:border-l-[6px] md:w-6 md:h-6 border-decryptPurple dark:border-decryptNeon gg-dark:border-cc-pink-2 absolute rotate-180 bottom-4 right-4 md:bottom-6 md:right-6\"\/><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"font-akzidenz-grotesk font-bold text-xl md:text-3xl md:text-center gg-dark:text-white\">Daily Debrief<!-- --> Newsletter<\/h3>\n<p>Start every day with the top news stories right now, plus original features, a podcast, videos and more.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The U.K. government has introduced a new bill expanding its powers to seize and destroy crypto linked to criminal activity. Following the Crime and Policing Bill\u2019s first reading in the House of Commons, the bill is now undergoing its second reading and will soon proceed to the committee stage. The new legislation seeks to improve [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":376106,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[230,225,221,227,226,228,229,60,223,224,222],"class_list":["post-376105","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cryptocurrency","tag-brave","tag-coinbase","tag-crypto","tag-decentralised","tag-decentralized","tag-decentralized-exchange","tag-erc-20","tag-featured","tag-meme-coin","tag-robinhood","tag-solana"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/376105","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=376105"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/376105\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":376107,"href":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/376105\/revisions\/376107"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/376106"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=376105"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=376105"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=376105"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}