Thai Authorities Seize $8.6 Million in Bitcoin Mining Equipment

Thai authorities seize $8.6 million in bitcoin mining equipment from suspected scammers.

Authorities in Thailand have seized bitcoin mining equipment valued at $8.6 million (300 million baht) from seven organizations suspected of financing Chinese scam groups, according to a report by Bangkok Post.

The Department of Special Investigations confiscated 3,642 mining devices and related electrical equipment during raids.

Investigators revealed that most of the seized equipment was installed in soundproof containers equipped with water cooling systems.

Authorities traced the operations back to a Myanmar-based group of scammers from China, who are linked to fraud incidents totaling over $140 million. Thai officials have sought assistance from China in the investigation.

Police believe that mining helped the criminals achieve two objectives: converting stolen electricity into income and laundering illicit funds through digital assets.

Cybercrime consultant David Sehen Beck commented to Decrypt that labeling them as “Chinese scam groups” oversimplifies the threat.

“The same networks responsible for fraudulent forced labor complexes are now investing in physical infrastructure — data centers, complexes, crypto miners — because it makes the entire operation more sustainable,” he explained.

In October, nearly 700 people escaped from the KK Park scam complex in Myanmar following a military raid.