In one of the most extraordinary modern treasures hunts, James HowellsA 39 -year -old engineer from Newport, South Wales, is still determined to recover a hard drive that accidentally ruled out in 2013, one that has an amazing 8,000 bitcoinsnow it is worth £ 600 million.
For more than a decade, Howells has Legal restrictions struggledLogistic nightmares, and now an imminent deadline as the authorities plan to permanently close the landfill where he believes his fortune is buried. But instead of going back, he is taking a bold step, he tries to buy all the landfill to continue his search.
An expensive error became a high -risk treasure search
It all started with a simple office cleaning In 2013. Howells, without realizing the future value of BitcoinBy mistake he threw an old hard drive. At that time, the digital currency was worth only a fraction of what it is today.
Fast advance until 2024, and those 8,000 bitcoins They have triggered value, placing the lost treasure of Howells among the most valuable digital assets ever out of place. But there is a trap: the hard drive is buried under 1.4 million tons of waste in it DOCKS WAY RELATED In Newport.
Despite the immense challenge, Howells has spent years elaborating a plan to recover his lost fortune. From ensuring investment partners to gather an expert team of specialists in data recovery, engineers and even waste classification technology, it has not left any stone without moving.
The legal battle with the Newport City Council
While Howells’s ambition is undeniable, its greatest obstacle has not been the landfill in itself, it has been Newport City Council. For years, the local government has denied permission to dig the site, citing environmental risks, cost concerns and potential interruption for the local community.
Howells has repeatedly presented detailed plans to perform a carefully controlled search, address environmental concerns and offer financial incentives to the Council. But in January 2025, a judge of the Superior Court failed against himstating that their possibilities of finding the hard drive were too thin to justify the interruption.
Without flinching, Howells has now changed its approach to a couple Bolder strategy“Providing the landfill directly.”
Buy the landfill: one last effort
After legal reverse, Howells has begun at discussions with investors about the acquisition of the DOCKS WAY RELATED. If it succeeds, this would grant you legal control On the site and allow you to launch a large -scale excavation.
“If the Newport City Council is willing, it might be interested in buying the site ‘as it’,” he said, pointing out his intention to take the matter in his own hands.
This movement arrives at a critical moment, as the Council recently announced plan to close the landfill permanently for 2025. Your goal? To transform part of the site into a Solar Farmadding another urgency layer to the Howells mission.
Running against time
The closure of the landfill has added an unexpected turn to an already dramatic saga. While the Council argues that the reuse of the site will benefit the community, Howells considers that the decision is a Important contradiction.
“They told the Superior Court that early closure would harm local residents, but now they are quickly tracking it,” he said, questioning the sudden change in the plans.
With the watch working, Howells is advancing at full speed, knowing that once the landfill is developed again, its Fortune of £ 600 million It could be lost forever.
This article has been republished of Tronweekly. Note: This article has been edited for length and content.
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