Thailand’s particular investigation pressure (DSI) has uncovered 4 senior officers from the Provincial Electrical energy Authority (PEA) for allegedly abusing their authority to function an unlawful Bitcoin mining syndicate.
Hundreds of unlawful mining rigs had been confiscated from an assistant PEA governor, with money deposits value 19 million baht ($612.9K).
The Bangkok Submit reported Tuesday that DSI raided three homes, seizing mining gear, money, laptops, telephones and financial institution passbooks.
“Operation Copperhead” – Wider Crackdown on Unlawful Bitcoin Mining Operations
The raids carried out by the DSI had been part of “operation copperhead,” launched in December 2025, mentioned Police Maj Normal Rutthapon Naowarat.
The operation targets legal networks working in Thailand, specializing in cash laundering and seizing unlawful belongings.
On January 19, the DSI officers seized 3,642 crypto mining rigs, discovering proof linking them to financiers and state officers.
The accused PEA officers embody an assistant governor, a regional-level deputy supervisor, a technician and a service division worker who retired in 2025.
Thorough searches had been carried out in Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Samut Sakhon provinces, the report famous.
Moreover, the investigators discovered that the accused PEA officers used their authority to rearrange warehousing, facilitating electrical energy provide and transformer entry for the mining hub. They reportedly accepted month-to-month kickbacks of as much as 400,000 baht.
“Authorized motion could be taken towards all offenders with out exception, no matter rank or place,” mentioned Pol Capt Khemachart Prakaihongmanee, director of the DSI’s Expertise and Cyber Crime Bureau. “The case could be expedited and forwarded to the Nationwide Anti-Corruption Fee for additional motion.”
Thailand Tightens Crypto Oversight, Retains Unlawful Operations at Test
The nation has already been tightening oversight on digital belongings, ordering a broad crackdown on ‘gray cash’ – funds that transfer by way of legal-looking channels however typically hint again to legal syndicates and illicit actions.
Apart from, in January 2025, the PEA uncovered a Bitcoin mining farm in Chonburi for tampering with energy meters to steal electrical energy. About 996 mining rigs had been seized within the crackdown.
Nevertheless, the difficulty of unlawful Bitcoin mining just isn’t confined to Thailand. It’s a part of a broader international problem.
As an example, Russia noticed “thousands and thousands of {dollars} per 12 months” in electrical energy and misplaced taxes tied to crypto mining final 12 months. Because of this, the nation’s Justice Ministry proposed jail sentences as much as 5 years and fines reaching 2.5 million rubles for unregistered crypto mining operations.
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