AMSTERDAM - The Dutch police have seized over 41 million euros in cryptocurrency in 2024, a record-breaking amount linked to suspected criminal activities. The confiscation, conducted by the Team High Tech Crime, marks a significant escalation in the Netherlands' fight against organized cybercrime.
"This is a huge record, and we’re proud of it," said Rob van Bree, chief of the National Investigation and Interventions Unit, in an interview with de Volkskrant. While exact values from previous years remain unclear, van Bree confirmed the 2024 total far surpasses the "few million euros" typically confiscated in earlier years.
The seized funds were primarily tied to cybercrimes, including phishing schemes and the use of malware such as ransomware. According to van Bree, cybercriminals increasingly rely on "crime as a service" operations, where malicious software is bought and sold through organized platforms.
The police's success follows an intensified focus on dismantling the digital infrastructure supporting cybercrime. In November, de Volkskrant reported on an international police operation targeting "infostealers," criminals who deploy malicious software to extract sensitive information from computers.
These operations target a hierarchical ecosystem. At the top are "operators" who create malware. Others rent this software to steal data such as passwords and financial information, which are then sold to third parties for crimes like draining bank accounts or encrypting files for ransom.
"Digital crime used to be the domain of tech-savvy individuals," van Bree explained. "Now, traditional criminals can simply purchase programs to commit these offenses. It’s even supported by helpdesks you can call, saying, ‘Hey, I’m trying to hack my neighbor but can’t get it to work.’”
Dutch institutions remain under frequent attack from cybercriminals and state-sponsored actors. Over the summer, hackers breached systems to obtain business email addresses, phone numbers, and job roles of nearly all Dutch police personnel. The AIVD and MIVD, the Netherlands’ intelligence agencies, later concluded that the attack was likely orchestrated by a foreign government.
"Other nations are constantly searching for vulnerabilities in our systems," van Bree said. "The frequency of these attempts is increasing, but we manage to fend off or prevent most attacks."
Hackers have recently targeted the Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, disrupting its systems. Swift intervention by ICT experts prevented greater damage, although classes were suspended for a week. The perpetrators behind this attack remain unidentified.
