In The News How Gardaí finally cracked the code to a multi-million bitcoin fortune
Mar 26, 2026
Conor Lally, crime and security editor at The Irish Times, unpacks the Clifton Collins story. He outlines Collins’ double life as beekeeper and criminal. He traces the chance arrest, the 6,000 BTC stash, why access codes were lost, and how Europol helped unlock one wallet releasing €30 million. Short, sharp and full of surprising twists.
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Cannabis Grower Lived A Double Life
- Clifton Collins ran a long-term cannabis operation using multiple rental houses across Galway, Longford, Meath and elsewhere while posing as a beekeeper and security guard.
- He grew simultaneous crops, making about €28,000 per crop and up to €28,000 a week from four houses, selling to gangs in Dublin.
Chance Traffic Stop Led To Major Seizure
- Collins was stopped by chance near Sally Gap at 2:30am in 2017 and Gardaí found cannabis in his Lexus, triggering the investigation.
- A subsequent search of a Cornemona house uncovered 500 plants valued around €400,000 and other grow sites were linked to him.
Early Bitcoin Holding Multiplied Criminal Proceeds
- Collins began buying Bitcoin around 2011–2012 and accumulated 6,000 BTC as prices rose dramatically.
- Those coins are worth about €360 million by 2026, transforming drug proceeds into a massive virtual fortune.