Thai police have uncovered a large-scale illegal Bitcoin mining operation and seized 690 mining machines along with other equipment.
According to major foreign media including AFP on the 4th (local time), Thai police responded to a tip-off about abnormally high electricity consumption at a suspended ice factory in Samut Sakhon City the previous day.
The police discovered and confiscated equipment worth approximately 69 million baht (about 2.6 billion KRW), including 690 Bitcoin mining machines. They also arrested one Myanmar national at the scene and are investigating the factory owner and others.
According to local police, this illegal mining site is of unprecedented scale. A police official explained, "Other illegal mining sites previously had about 40 to 50 mining machines, but this is the first time we have seen such a large scale."
As illegal cryptocurrency mining operations such as Bitcoin have been increasing recently in Thailand, authorities are cracking down on locations with rapidly rising electricity consumption.
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