Last week, authorities in the United Kingdom raided a suspected cannabis farm and found no marijuana. They discovered a bitcoin mining farm. In the region, crypto mining is permitted, but stealing electricity to power the business is.
West Midlands Police said they received information that a large number of persons had visited the industrial unit in question. They discovered a lot of wiring and air ducts after a closer look. In addition, police drones detected a significant quantity of heat coming from the facility’s top.
Police concluded it was a marijuana growing business and obtained a search warrant, which they executed on May 18.
They found a cryptocurrency mine instead of pharmaceuticals. The workers have seen visiting at all hours of the day we’re most likely just doing routine maintenance on the equipment. The operation wasn’t a complete failure, as it was discovered that the operators were stealing the electricity that was utilized to power the rigs.
“It’s certainly not what we were expecting,” said Sandwell Police Sergeant Jennifer Griffin. “My understanding is that mining for cryptocurrency is not itself illegal but abstracting electricity from the mains supply to power it is.”
The equipment was seized by police, and they plan to take possession of it under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Because the unit was empty at the time of the raid, no arrests were made, but authorities are attempting to contact the facility’s owner.