NSW POLICE SEIZE 52 BITCOIN LINKED TO DARKNET MARKETPLACE IN 15-MONTH INVESTIGATION New South Wales police seized 52 Bitcoin worth approximately $4.1 million from an alleged darknet marketplace operator in Ingleburn, Sydney, following a 15-month investigation, the NSW Police Force announced on May 8. Strike Force Andalusia, a unit within the State Crime Command’s Cyber Crime Squad, executed a search warrant at a residential property on May 4, where detectives recovered electronic devices and the cryptocurrency wallet. NSW Police described the seizure as one of the largest darknet-related cryptocurrency confiscations in Australia’s history. Two men, aged 41 and 39, were arrested in connection with the operation. The 41-year-old is scheduled to appear in Campbelltown Local Court on May 13 and the 39-year-old in Batemans Bay Local Court on June 15. Police alleged the Bitcoin represents proceeds from illegal activity involving drugs and weapons traded through a darknet marketplace. The seizure coincides with a broader regulatory tightening across Australia’s digital asset sector. The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre launched two enforcement campaigns targeting over-the-counter crypto-to-cash services and local exchanges on the same day. Australia’s Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Act 2026 received Royal Assent on April 8 and will bring digital asset platforms into the financial services licensing regime from April 9, 2027.