Bitcoin Forum

OFFICIAL SOURCE: National Police Corps of Spain seizes Bitcoin

Translated from Spanish
"With this operation the Technological Investigation Brigade, the Spanish National Police becomes the second Safety Corps seize bitcoins world, electronic money independent of any government"

http://www.policia.es/prensa/20130927_1.html



Let's Talk Bitcoin! broke the First Seizure Story
Users Bitcoins Seized by DEA
http://letstalkbitcoin.com/users-bitcoins-seized-by-dea/

I wonder how many times the same bust can occur?

 - http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/02/spanish-police-bust-alleged-ransomware-ring-that-took-in-1-34m-annually/

Maybe these are two separate incidents?

Here's the corresponding /r/bitcoin thread:
  - http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/1n8jyz

Please change the title of the topic, you're just spreding FUD.

I'm spanish and I can translate for you.

It only tells that they were following one crime group that was laundering money (from their illicit business) with bitcoin and other virtual currencies like Linden dollar or Webmoney,
So when they caught them they confiscated their euros, bitcoins, etc...

They we're not chasing bitcoins!! Just the criminals and their illicit funds!

in the United States that what we call an "asset seizure"

While  bitcoins cannot be "seized" as it is an irreversible transaction (i.e. the Bitcoin protocol was not compromised) ....governments will still find a way to seize assets (such as bitcoin) from their citizens.

There are different ways to seize something..Spain just didn't do it through code.

If nothing else, the Spanish Government "officially" declared bitcoin has value by seizing them.

Yo creía que sí. Gracias.

It does say something that the police know what Bitcoin is and can seize it.  Welcome to a society with laws.  But it doesn't mean they're against it.

I think spanish police just got some accounts from Bitstamp, MtGox, localbitcoins... with bitcoins inside. Or maybe one online wallet.
But if criminals were clever enough they will probably have more bitcoins on one secret offline wallet.

No one declared in Spain that bitcoin is money... but it is obvious that, if you can change bitcoin for money and goods, it is just money or something that has value.

I suppose it was declared an "asset" by seizing it..no?
Assets have value...

In the news page from spanish police they tell it is a "virtual currency". They don't tell anything else.

Agreed, Since the bitcoin designs as Doing not to conflict with ethical matters.  When there is formal compliant received, then these people keep collecting until the target can be set. So Bitcoin becomes more safer when these legal enforcement can adapt with the environment.