Illegal bitcoin mining operation busted in Pathum Thani housing project
Police in Pathum Thani dismantled an illegal bitcoin mining operation set up in a housing project, seizing 18 mining devices.
The operation had reportedly been using electricity illicitly with an annual cost exceeding 3 million baht.
Yesterday, February 18, Sutthiporn Siwawetphikun, district chief of Nong Suea, Police Colonel Teerayut Sereinonchai, and Yutthana Srisombat, a deputy district official for security, along with investigators from Nong Suea Police Station, inspected a house in the Bueang Ba subdistrict, Nong Suea district, Pathum Thani province.
This action followed a tip-off from the Provincial Electricity Authority of Nong Suea concerning the clandestine installation of bitcoin mining equipment.
Upon examination, no people were found at the residence. However, officials discovered 18 bitcoin mining devices and a laptop computer actively connected to the system.
The electricity meter showed signs of tampering, indicating illegal electricity usage, reported KhaoSod.
Sutthiporn revealed that the property had been illicitly drawing electricity for some time, with damage costs averaging approximately 3,120,000 baht (US$92,620) annually.
The electricity authority intends to file a complaint with Nong Suea Police Station to prosecute those involved in the operation.
In similar news, in Samut Sakhon, an extensive illegal bitcoin mining operation was uncovered by Thai police on January 31, resulting in significant financial losses due to unauthorised electricity usage over a three-year period.
The operation, which led to over 500 million baht in losses, was discovered during a raid conducted by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) following abnormal power consumption reports from the Provincial Electricity Authority.
The investigation revealed a total of 1,788 crypto-mining machines distributed across three warehouses. Specifically, 396 machines were located in Nadi subdistrict, 462 in Baan Koh subdistrict, and 930 in Tha Sai subdistrict. Despite the successful operation, no suspects were apprehended during the raid.
Officials highlighted the magnitude of this seizure, describing it as the largest of its kind, and emphasised the threat such illegal mining poses to national energy stability.
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