Picture courtesy of Amarin

 

Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) officers, working with the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA), raided nine locations across Ubon Ratchathani and Si Sa Ket on 14 November 2025, arresting a 36-year-old suspect accused of stealing state electricity to power a clandestine Bitcoin mining network. Authorities say the operation caused more than 26 million baht in losses to the state, with nearly 100 mining rigs and extensive networking equipment seized. The suspect, identified as Mr Apinan was detained at a house in Si Sa Ket’s Muang Nuea subdistrict and later charged with theft.

 

The investigation began in early November 2025 after PEA personnel detected irregularities in electricity meters at several properties in Ubon Ratchathani. CIB’s Crime Suppression Division (CSD) officers were alerted to suspected illegal power diversion linked to digital-currency mining. Senior CIB leaders, including Pol Lt Gen Natthasak Chaonasanai and Pol Maj Gen Phatthanasak Bubphasuwan, authorised a full probe, assigning detectives under Pol Col Suriya­sak Jirawat to expand surveillance and gather evidence.

 

Joint CIB–PEA inspections uncovered a structured criminal network operating multiple covert mining sites. Investigators found properties rented under nominees or shell entities, with interiors converted to support large-scale crypto-mining equipment. Evidence indicated two primary electricity-theft methods: bypassing main supply lines before the meter to avoid recording usage and tampering with meters to slow their readings, significantly reducing recorded consumption.

 

Officers executed court-approved search warrants using a 70-member team drawn from CSD, the Technology Crime Suppression Division, Highway Police and PEA engineers. The coordinated raids resulted in the seizure of 96 Bitcoin mining machines, nine routers, ten CCTV cameras, four mobile phones, four computers and servers, and multiple system-control devices. Additional seized items from other sites were transferred to stations in Wang Hin, Kanthararom, Uthumphon Phisai, and Muang Ubon Ratchathani for evidence processing.

 

During questioning, the suspect admitted he was a programmer with extensive technical knowledge and had been mining Bitcoin illegally since 2020. He told officers he had rented five commercial units in Si Sa Ket and one in Ubon Ratchathani, using sound-insulated boxes to hide equipment noise while diverting electricity to power mining rigs. He was transferred to Muang Si Sa Ket Police Station to face legal proceedings, while investigators continue identifying other suspects for potential arrest warrants.

 

CIB warned that illicit electricity use for crypto-mining is both dangerous and illegal, posing risks of electrical faults, fires and network failures that can impact wider communities. Amarin reported that offenders may face civil liability and criminal penalties, including up to 10 years in prison for theft. PEA urged the public to report suspicious electrical activity through its 24-hour Contact Center 1129 or via the officer-in-charge, Pol Capt Suwichak Rattanaphan, at 064-0856156.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• CIB and PEA raided nine sites in two provinces, seizing 96 Bitcoin miners and equipment worth over 26 million baht.

• The suspect admitted to operating multiple covert mining locations and stealing electricity using meter tampering and bypassing.

• Authorities are expanding the investigation and warn of severe legal and safety risks linked to illicit power use.

 

Related Stories

 

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  Adapted  by  Asean  Now from Amarin 2025-11-16

 

 

 

 

 

How many bitcoins could be mined using his 100 mining servers?

17 minutes ago, Peabody said:

How many bitcoins could be mined using his 100 mining servers?

 

To hard to guesstimate without know the Individual rig hash rate and the network hash rate.

 

Max/min?

On 11/16/2025 at 3:35 AM, Georgealbert said:

96 Bitcoin mining machines

that's a lot of mining machines. that's 10-20M Baht easily. 

 

17 hours ago, Peabody said:

How many bitcoins could be mined using his 100 mining servers?

I would say he could be mining 20-200BTC per year... depending on how modern and how power each ASIC  mining server can do. Those are not standard computers, ASIC is a purpose-built hardware called an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit to mine cryptocurrency. 

 

If he kept the earned BTC in wallets the police cant open, by the time he leaves jail he will be a millionaire. or not... he might pay off his early exit with a few BTC 😄