The Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) mine was stealing thousands of pounds worth of electricity from the main supply, police said.
What Happened: The West Midlands Police in central England, looking for a cannabis farm, has found an illegal bitcoin mine located in an industrial unit on the outskirts of Birmingham.
They found banks of computers illegally tapping the electricity needed to mine for Bitcoin, West Midlands Police said in a statement.
Police were alerted of numerous people visiting the location at different times of the day. Wiring and ventilation ducts that were visible and voluminous also raised concerns.
Following these suspicions, the police flew a drone above the location, which picked up a considerable heat source from above.
Upon raid, police discovered a bank of around 100 computer units as part of what’s understood to be a bitcoin mining operation.
“It’s certainly not what we were expecting,” Jennifer Griffin, Sandwell police sergeant, said in a statement. “It had all the hallmarks of a cannabis cultivation set-up, and I believe it’s only the second such crypto mine we’ve encountered in the West Midlands.”
Read: What is Cryptocurrency Mining?
“We’ve seized the equipment and will be looking into permanently seizing it under the Proceeds of Crime Act,” Griffin said.
“No one was at the unit at the time of the warrant, and no arrests have been made – but we’ll be making inquiries with the unit’s owner,” Griffin added.
Western…
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The Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) mine was stealing thousands of pounds worth of electricity from the main supply, police said.
What Happened: The West Midlands Police in central England, looking for a cannabis farm, has found an illegal bitcoin mine located in an industrial unit on the outskirts of Birmingham.
They found banks of computers illegally tapping the electricity needed to mine for Bitcoin, West Midlands Police said in a statement.
Police were alerted of numerous people visiting the location at different times of the day. Wiring and ventilation ducts that were visible and voluminous also raised concerns.
Following these suspicions, the police flew a drone above the location, which picked up a considerable heat source from above.
Upon raid, police discovered a bank of around 100 computer units as part of what’s understood to be a bitcoin mining operation.
“It’s certainly not what we were expecting,” Jennifer Griffin, Sandwell police sergeant, said in a statement. “It had all the hallmarks of a cannabis cultivation set-up, and I believe it’s only the second such crypto mine we’ve encountered in the West Midlands.”
Read: What is Cryptocurrency Mining?
“We’ve seized the equipment and will be looking into permanently seizing it under the Proceeds of Crime Act,” Griffin said.
“No one was at the unit at the time of the warrant, and no arrests have been made – but we’ll be making inquiries with the unit’s owner,” Griffin added.
Western…