Thailand Seizes 63 Illegal Crypto Miners That Stole Over $327K in Electricity
According to a report by The Nation, officers from Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) seized 63 illegal crypto mining rigs on Friday. The illegal devices, worth about 2 million baht (approximately $60,000), were found in three abandoned houses in Pathum Thani province.
The operation was carried out after locals in the region reported strangers stealing electricity from pylons and transformers. Residents suspected that the stolen energy was being used to mine cryptocurrency hidden in abandoned buildings.
Mining cryptocurrency requires a significant amount of electricity. Authorities estimate that illegal mining rigs have caused damage to the capital's power supply by more than 11 million baht (over $327 million).
Illegal mining rigs were controlled remotely
Police said that along with the mining rigs, three mining controllers, three routers, three signal boosters, three modified electricity meters, a desktop computer, a laptop and two bank savings books were also confiscated. No arrests were made because the mining operations were controlled remotely.
However, officers found evidence linking the illegal activity to a luxury home on Ram-Indra Soi 65 in Bangkok's Han Na Yao district. CIB officers applied for a search warrant at the address and found the ringleader and other accomplices.
Authorities stressed that illegal mining rigs not only caused damage to the electricity department, but also created a serious fire hazard due to high energy consumption and lack of human supervision.
Thailand faces illegal mining problem
In Thailand, Bitcoin miners are considered producers and are taxed accordingly. However, illegal cryptocurrency mining has been a major problem in both Thailand and Southeast Asia for many years.
During a raid in January, authorities seized 996 illegal bitcoin (BTC) mining rigs in Thailand's Phanat Nikhom district.
In November 2024, authorities shut down nine illegal bitcoin mining farms in Surat Thani province, where the farms were estimated to have stolen around $300,000 worth of electricity.
Similarly, in August, authorities carried out an operation in a city west of Bangkok and found evidence of illegal cryptocurrency mining after local residents complained of power outages.
Source: cryptonews.net