Thailand seizes 63 illegal crypto mining rigs that stole over $327k in electricity
Thailand seizes 63 unlawful crypto mining rigs that stole over $327k in electrical energy Thailand seizes 63 unlawful crypto mining rigs that stole over $327k in electrical energy
Following complaints about electrical energy thefts, authorities raided three abandoned homes and located remotely controlled mining operations.
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Officers of Thailandâs Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) seized 63 unlawful crypto mining machines on Friday, in response to a document by The Nation. The unlawful crypto mining rigs, rate around 2 million baht ($60,000), were found in three abandoned homes in the Pathum Thani province.
Officers carried out a raid after locals of the gap complained about unidentified other folks stealing electrical energy from the regionâs utility poles and transformers. The locals suspected that the stolen electrical energy modified into once being venerable for cryptocurrency mining operations hidden in abandoned constructions.
Crypto mining requires wide amounts of electrical energy. Authorities estimate that the illicit mining rigs introduced on losses rate over 11 million baht (over $327 million) to the Metropolitan Electricity Authority.
The unlawful mining rigs were controlled remotely
Police officials talked about that alongside with the mining rigs, they also confiscated three crypto mining controllers, three routers, three recordsdata superhighway signal boosters, three modified electrical energy metres, a desktop laptop, a pc, and two monetary institution passbooks. No arrests were made as the mining operations were being controlled remotely.
Officers found evidence, nonetheless, that the illicit operation had ties to a luxury condominium in Ram-Indra Soi 65 in Bangkokâs Khan Na Yao district. The CIB officials maintain requested a search warrant to raid the linked feature and stumble on the ring chief and other accomplices.
Authorities renowned that apart from causing damages to the electrical energy department, the unlawful mining rigs also posed a first-rate fire hazard. This is since the operations utilized excessive amounts of energy nevertheless had no human monitoring.
Thailand has been plagued with unlawful mining operations
Bitcoin miners are treated as manufacturers in Thailand and are field to related taxes. On the alternative hand, unlawful crypto mining has been a rampant utter all over Thailand and Southeast Asia for years.
In a raid carried out in January, authorities seized 996 unlawful Bitcoin (BTC) mining rigs from the Phanat Nikhom district in Thailand.
In November 2024, authorities shut down 9 unlawful Bitcoin mining farms in the Surat Thani province. The farms were estimated to maintain stolen electrical energy rate nearly $300,000.
Equally, in August, authorities raided a town west of Bangkok and located evidence of unlawful crypto mining after locals complained about energy outages.
Monika Ghosh
In 2020, Monika immersed herself in crypto, maintaining skepticism yet firmly believing blockchain would possibly possibly perchance tackle key disorders delight in monetary disparity and transparency. A book-lover, she's also a passionate food enthusiast.
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