Earlier today, one of the most popular websites that use and promote the use of BitCoin, Silk Road, was shut down by the US government. As Reuters reports, U.S. law enforcement authorities raided an Internet site that served as a marketplace for illegal drugs, including heroin and cocaine, and arrested its owner, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said on Wednesday. The FBI arrested Ross William Ulbricht, known as "Dread Pirate Roberts," in San Francisco on Tuesday, according to court filings. Federal prosecutors charged Ulbricht with one count each of narcotics trafficking conspiracy, computer hacking conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy, according to a court filing. Anyone visiting the site would be greeted with the following "game over" screen.

As part of the raid, The FBI said it has also seized approximately $3.6m (£2.2m) worth of bitcoins. The agency described it as the biggest Bitcoin seizure to date. It is unclear just how the FBI will keep the money: since there is no physical manifestation, and increasingly less practical uses, will it just be stuck on some FBI hard disk in perpetuity?