Apr 4, 2025

Crypto Crime Surges Two Thousand Percent in Scotland

Scotland has recorded a 2,000 percent rise in cryptocurrency-related crime since 2019, according to Police Scotland’s Policing in a Digital World Annual Report 2025. Officials attribute the surge to serious and organized crime groups rapidly adopting digital currencies to obscure their operations.

Police Scotland confirmed the growing scale of the problem, stating that “serious and organised crime groups are quick to adapt and utilise new methods” including cryptocurrency to avoid detection. While exact case numbers remain undisclosed, the figure marks a sharp rise in cases involving digital assets tied to fraud, money laundering, and cybercrime.

Despite the surge, Scotland does not yet have a dedicated cryptocurrency unit.

“Police Scotland does not have a dedicated cryptocurrency team and development of capabilities outside of cybercrime is progressing,” the report stated.

A proposed Cyber and Fraud Command aims to restructure the current approach and bring Scotland in line with other U.K. forces that already operate specialist crypto crime units.

Police Response and Capacity Gaps

The report revealed that two cryptocurrency tracking and tracing tools have been introduced to help officers monitor and analyze digital transactions. These tools align Scotland’s efforts with other U.K. and international law enforcement agencies.

Police Scotland is also participating in the national Cryptocurrency Working Group, which is focused on improving training, operational coordination, and the development of expert witness testimony procedures for court cases involving cryptocurrency.

Police officers in Scotland have already testified in court as expert witnesses in cryptocurrency-related cases, with their evidence being accepted in both lower courts and the High Court. However, the report underscores the need for a more centralized and specialized response, noting that “the proposed Cyber and Fraud Command will allow for a refresh of organisational approach and responsibilities in relation to cryptocurrency.”

Institutional Shifts and Strategic Outlook

The surge in crypto crime has contributed to rising pressure on existing digital crime units. In 2024 alone, the Serious and Organised Crime Financial Investigation Unit investigated 58 enquiries valued at over £188 million. These included complex financial and cyber-related offences, from money laundering to fraud and embezzlement.

Serious crime, according to the report. Scotland Police

One ongoing investigation referred to civil recovery involves over $40 million in cryptocurrency stored on USB devices. The unit has seized more than £7.6 million in recoverable assets and arrested 55 individuals as part of its broader mandate.

Authorities say these trends reflect a growing overlap between financial fraud and cybercrime. The new command structure will prioritize developing internal expertise, expanding investigative capacity, and improving the force’s ability to pursue offenders using digital currencies.

The unit is also working to formalize a national training pathway to prepare officers for emerging crypto-related threats. The framework, which addresses technical complexity in courtroom presentations, is being developed in collaboration with U.K. policing bodies and the Crown Office.

Police Scotland’s digital crime strategy is entering a pivotal phase. With organised crime groups exploiting cryptocurrency at scale, law enforcement will be forced to adapt quickly—or risk falling further behind. “As technology evolves,” the report warned, “so too do the methods used by criminal networks.”

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