Scottish Police Report 2,000% Surge in Crypto-Related Crimes Since 2019
A new report from Police Scotland reveals a staggering 2,000% increase in crypto-related crimes since 2019.
The annual 2025 report, submitted to the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) Policing Performance Committee, outlines the growing challenges law enforcement faces in tackling cyber-enabled crimes and fraud, particularly those involving cryptocurrencies.
Authorities stress that while significant strides have been made in digital forensics and tracking technologies, Scotland still lacks a dedicated cryptocurrency crime unit.
However, plans are underway to address this deficiency through the establishment of a Cyber and Fraud Command division, which will aim to consolidate Scotland’s approach to investigating and prosecuting digital crimes.
Despite these advances, the rapid evolution of cybercrime continues to pose substantial threats, necessitating further investments in law enforcement capabilities.
Tackling Crypto Crimes with Technology
Since the last report in 2024, Police Scotland has introduced a range of new technologies and investigative techniques to combat the surge in digital crimes.
Among these innovations are Digital Evidence Detection Dogs (DEDD), which have proven instrumental in identifying hidden digital devices linked to illicit activities.
Since their deployment in April 2024, these specially trained dogs have helped recover 416 digital devices across 134 operations.
Additionally, Digital Forensic Vans (DFVs) have been operational since May 2024. They enable police officers to conduct on-site examinations of digital evidence, significantly reducing processing delays.
Cybercrime Investigations and Digital Forensics teams have processed thousands of devices, with 4577 Electronic Request Forms (ERFs) approved for cyber kiosks and an additional 3867 ERFs processed at forensic labs in 2024 alone.
Crucially, cryptocurrency-related investigations have seen a dramatic uptick, with 165 Cryptocurrency Support Requests handled over the past year.
This rise shows criminals’ growing reliance on digital assets to facilitate money laundering, fraud, and other illicit activities.
One high-profile operation, codenamed Op EDITORIAL, involved a 21-year-old cybersecurity student who developed a Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) tool and generated illicit gains of over £45,000.
The investigation required the analysis of millions of data points, including cryptocurrency transactions, server logs, and forensic data. The suspect was ultimately sentenced to 21 months in prison.
Meanwhile, the Serious and Organised Crime Financial Investigation Unit (SOCFIU) has been instrumental in tackling financial crimes involving digital assets.
In 2024, SOCFIU investigated 58 cases, resulting in the seizure of £7.6 million in assets and the arrest of 55 suspects.
One particularly notable case involved the seizure of over $40 million worth of cryptocurrency stored on USB devices, which has since been referred to civil recovery proceedings.
Growing Crypto Crime Concerns
One of the most significant legal milestones in Scotland’s fight against crypto crime was the unprecedented conversion of stolen Bitcoin into fiat currency under proceeds of crime legislation.
This case involved John Ross Rennie, who was found in possession of 23.5 Bitcoin linked to a violent robbery in Lanarkshire in 2020.
Scottish prosecutors successfully traced and confiscated the stolen cryptocurrency, which is valued at approximately £109,601 ($144,017).
This marked the first time digital assets were converted into cash through legal means in the country.
Notably, this year alone has seen an increase in crypto-related crimes. The first quarter of 2025 saw an unprecedented $1.64 billion in crypto losses across 39 incidents, making it the worst quarter for hacks in the industry’s history, according to Immunefi.
The majority of these losses came from two major centralized exchange breaches. Bybit lost $1.46 billion in February, while Phemex suffered a $69.1 million attack in January. Compared to Q1 2024, total crypto losses have surged by 390%.
Looking forward, Scotland is making efforts to address these challenges duly, with a dedicated command unit in development and innovative forensic technologies in place.