Illegal crypto mining machines seized from abandoned houses

A total of 63 cryptocurrency mining machines were seized by the police officers of Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) during the search on three abandoned houses in Pathum Thani province on Friday.

Officials were acting on complaints by locals of Khlong 6 area in Thanya Buri district that an unknown group of individuals had been stealing electricity from utility poles and transformers in the area.

Villagers suspected that the stolen power was used for cryptocurrency mining operations hidden in several abandoned houses in the area and operated by remote control.

Besides the 63 cryptocurrency mining machines, officials also found three crypto mining controllers, three routers, three internet signal boosters, three modified electricity metres, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, and two bank passbooks at the three houses. 

The estimated value of the seized items is over 2 million baht, police said.

Police also found evidence that the mining operation was linked to a luxury house in Ram-Indra Soi 65 in Bangkok’s Khan Na Yao district. Officers have requested a court warrant to search the residence to track down the operation leader and accomplices.

Investigators estimated that stolen electricity for crypto mining at the three houses had caused more than 11 million baht in damage to the Metropolitan Electricity Authority.

Police added that the mining operation at abandoned houses is a major fire hazard as it uses high power while having no human monitoring.