Cryptocurrency seizures

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Dear Lancashire Constabulary,

I am writing to request information which I believe is held by the Regional Organised Crime Unit or Special Operations Unit (ROCU/SOU) of which your force is part. I believe I am entitled to this information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

I draw your attention to a previous FOI answered by West Midland police (Ref: Cryptocurrency 1218A/21), to indicate that such information is held - and was disclosed - by at least one ROCU and might therefore be reasonably expected to be held - and disclosed - by others.

I would like to know the following:-

1. How much cryptocurrency has been seized by your force, or the ROCU of which it is part, since 2017. Please provide a breakdown by year and by the type of cryptocurrency (e.g. Bitcoin, Ethereum etc)

2. How much has been returned to the subjects of any seizure (again, by date and type please).

3. How do you store cryptocurrency that you have seized?

4. In cases where seized cryptocurrency is not returned, what happens to it?

I look forward to receiving a response within the statutory period.

Yours faithfully,

Rob Davies

FOI, Lancashire Constabulary

If you are emailing a valid Freedom of Information request please treat
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 Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000, known hereafter as ‘the Act’. You should receive a
response within the statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined in
the Act (from when Lancashire Constabulary receive a valid request).

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 Regards,

 FOI Team

Data Protection Office

Lancashire Constabulary Headquarters

Tel: 01772 413329/413203/412144

Email: [1][email address]

 

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FOI, Lancashire Constabulary

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Good afternoon,

Further to your Freedom of Information Request received on 03/02/22, the
FOI Act obliges us to respond to requests promptly and in any case no
later than 20 working days after receiving your request. We must consider
firstly whether we can comply with Section 1(1)(a) of the Act, which is
our duty to confirm whether or not the information requested is held and
secondly we must comply with Section 1(1)(b), which is the provision of
such information. However, when a qualified exemption applies either to
the confirmation or denial or the information provision and the public
interest test is engaged, the Act allows the time for response to be
longer than 20 working days, if the balance of such public interest is
undermined.

In this case we have not yet reached a decision on where the balance of
the public interest lies in respect of either of the above obligations. We
estimate that it will take an additional 20 working days to take a
decision on where this balance lies. Therefore, we plan to let you have
the response by 31/03/22. If it appears that it will take longer than this
to reach a conclusion, you will be kept informed.

The specific exemption which applies in relation to your request is;

Your request is being considered under Section 31 (1) of the Act and this
relates to law enforcement matters.

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your
request and wish to make a complaint or request an internal review of our
decision, you should write to the Data Protection Office, Police
Headquarters, Saunders Lane, Hutton, Preston PR4 5SB or alternatively send
an email to [1][email address].

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply
directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the
Information Commissioner’s Office cannot make a decision unless you have
exhausted the complaints procedure provided by Lancashire Constabulary.
The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information
Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9
5AF. Additional information may be located on the ICO’s guidance pages;
[2]https://ico.org.uk/

 

Kind regards

 

 

Information Access Team

HQ – Data Protection Office

Lancashire Constabulary Headquarters

 

Tel: 01772 412144

Email: [3][email address]

 

 

 

Personal Data Matters – Let’s Get it Right!

 

 

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3. mailto:[email address]

FOI, Lancashire Constabulary

3 Attachments

 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 431/22

Please find attached Lancashire Constabulary’s response to your recent
request for information made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in
Lancashire Constabulary.

 

Information Access Team

HQ – Data Protection Office

Lancashire Constabulary Headquarters

 

Tel: 01772 412144

Email: [1][email address]

 

 

 

Personal Data Matters – Let’s Get it Right!

 

 

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References

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1. mailto:[email address]