Police Raid Illegal Bitcoin Mining Operation That Caused 6 Million Baht in Losses

[Georgealbert]

 

 

A police raid on October 19, led by Pol. Lt. Gen. Somprasong Yentoam, Commissioner of Provincial Police Region 2, and Pol. Maj. Gen. Teerachai Chamnanmor, Deputy Commissioner of the Investigation Division of Region 2, uncovered an illegal Bitcoin mining operation in Bang Nam Priao, Chachoengsao, which had been stealing electricity for 28 months.

 

Authorities, along with officials from the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA), inspected a commercial building located at 53/13 Suwinthawong Road, Sala Daeng Sub-district, Bang Nam Priao District, following a tip-off. The building was found to be illegally bypassing the electricity meter, causing substantial losses to the PEA.

 

 

During the search, the police seized 23 Bitcoin mining machines, a network server, a main breaker, seven smaller circuit breakers, a ventilation fan, four insulated aluminum cables, and a set of CCTV cameras with a memory card.

 

According to Pol. Maj. Gen. Teerachai, the investigation began after the PEA branch in Ban Khlong Chao, Chachoengsao, reported suspicious electricity usage in the building. Upon inspection, they found that the miners had been operating without registering the electricity meter, bypassing it entirely. The building had been rented since August 2022, resulting in accumulated losses amounting to 6,160,000 baht over 28 months.

 

Authorities are currently investigating the person who signed the lease agreement and will track bank accounts used to pay rent and electricity bills. The seized equipment has been handed over to the Muang Chachoengsao Police Station for further legal action.

 

Picture courtesy of Matichon.

-- 2024-10-20

 

[hotchilli]

On 10/20/2024 at 3:58 AM, Georgealbert said:

Authorities are currently investigating the person who signed the lease agreement and will track bank accounts used to pay rent and electricity bills. The seized equipment has been handed over to the Muang Chachoengsao Police Station for further legal action.

28 months before action by PEA ?

[jippytum]

Six million baht owed to the PEA. I know people who had their meters removed owing a few baht. 

[john donson]

49 minutes ago, jippytum said:

Six million baht owed to the PEA. I know people who had their meters removed owing a few baht. 

 

read the article... bypassing the meter = zero bill for them

[jippytum]

1 hour ago, john donson said:

 

read the article... bypassing the meter = zero bill for them

That still does not explain why 6 million baht of usage could go undetected without a 'tipoff'

[billd766]

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

28 months before action by PEA ?

Compared to a bed-ridden old lady whose electricity was cut off, when she missed 3 payments totalling about 1,000 baht.

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

Compared to a bed-ridden old lady whose electricity was cut off, when she missed 3 payments totalling about 1,000 baht.

That did occur to me...

[billd766]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

That did occur to me...

I think the main problem is that if a building is no longer in use, either the PEA remove the meter or the meter reader is told by the PEA not to bother going to read the meter.

 

Nobody goes every 6 months or so to check on whether the building is being reused.

 

Legal occupiers tell the PEA that the building is now in use and please re-connect the meter.

 

Illegal occupiers simply bypass the meter, as happened here.