Ratchaburi: Authorities uncovered a clandestine bitcoin mining operation in Photharam district on Wednesday after the local Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) office detected irregular patterns of power consumption at a location in tambon Chet Samian.
One suspect, identified as Wirapon Kattiya, 41, from Loei, was arrested in Wednesday's raid of Minor Union Co's office.
Officers also found 59 bitcoin mining equipment devices at the site, which have been seized for further inspection, according to Photaram police station chief, Pol Col Chatchana Narawutthiphon, on Wednesday.
The raid followed a complaint lodged by the local Egat office, which had detected unusual fluctuations in electricity usage at the site.
Armed with a search warrant, officers raided the location on Wednesday, where they found Mr Wirapon, who claimed to be the building's caretaker, said Pol Col Chatchana.
Investigators believe at least 700 bitcoin mining equipment devices had been installed at the site, but most of the machines were removed prior to the raid on Wednesday, the Photaram police chief added.
Officers also found that the power meter installed at the site by the local Egat office had been tampered with.
"The illegal activity was estimated to have cost Egat about 10 million baht in losses per month," he said.
