Police raided a warehouse for drugs ... and 'found a bitcoin mine'

The West Midland Police in England had an amusing shock on May 18. On an operation that was meant to fish out anti-drug operations, the squad found a "classic bitcoin mine" instead.

The Raid

The uniformed men set out to the warehouse located in the city of Sandwell after receiving tips of suspicious activities occurring in said location.

The official report issued by the police says the warehouse in an industrial plant in Sandwell checked all boxes of being an indoor cannabis cultivation farm.

The Police statement also explained that they had heard how several unknown persons were always visiting the site at various times of the day. The outter part of the warehouse was characteristically lined with many wiring and ventilation ducts; which further solidified the suspicions of the anti-drug squad.

A police drone was also used to check for heat, and it picked up a significant amount of heat source.

From previous experiences, the police believed this detected artificial heat was being used to provide an optimal temperature condition needed for cannabis plants to survive the cold English climate.

With all these prior steps taken, the west midlands police force cannot be accused of not carrying out due process before going on the raid.

The police instead met with an unprecedented finding; the warehouse was filled with several high-powered computers that use a significant quantity of heat to mine the first cryptocurrency; bitcoin.

What is a bitcoin mine?

This is a bitcoin mining farm where new bitcoins are created in an energy-intensive process and thereafter put into circulation.

Bitcoin mining is one of the most critical aspects of the blockchain network. It is required for the development and improvement of the blockchain ledger.

The presence of highly sophisticated computers and a high energy consumption rate is one of the "tells" of a bitcoin mine. These computers are used to continuously solve overly complex computational mathematical problems. Fossil fuels particularly coal is are also utilized in large quantities.

The total cost of these computer units and the cost of running a mining operation is way more than the value of the currency it creates. Right now, the worth of a single bitcoin hovers around $40,000 after a crash in the market a few weeks ago.

This is the major reason these morning farms work with stolen electricity to make a profit.

I must point out that Bitcoin mining operations are not illegal in the UK.

What did the police do?

The operation was not totally futile as the plant was guilty of stealing thousands of pounds worth of electricity from the national power grid. This information was obtained when the force contacted the Western Power electricity provider.

The owners of this unit bypassed the main electricity provider.

Mining requires a large amount of energy to operate, and this farm wasn't paying for the lots it was using.

A bitcoin mining expert estimated that the people behind this tech scam stole around $29,500 worth of power from the grid for every month the operation has been running. This is $20,000 more than the value of bitcoin they'd have generated in the same time frame.

At the time of the warrant and raid, there was no one on the farm. So, no arrests were carried out. Instead, the equipment—around 100 computer systems— found in the unit was confiscated by the West Midlands Police force.

The sergeant in charge of the operation, Jennifer Griffin said the seized equipment will be investigated under the Proceeds of crime act, and may permanently remain in the possession of the police.

She also mentioned that the force will make inquiries to discover the owner of the unit, as well as the other persons that were visiting the unit.

The police have a popular belief that bitcoin is used mostly by criminals for the indiscriminate procurement of drugs and weapons.

Other Operations Carried Out by the West Midlands Police

The warehouse wasn't the only place raided by the West Midlands Police in the last five weeks. The force planned and executed an anti-drug campaign that ran between May 17 and May 23. More than 40 addresses were ransacked with dozens of unsuspecting drug dealers arrested.

The force seized thousands of pounds in cash and hundreds of drugs.

The raids targeted locations in Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall, and Wolverhampton, and a total of 84 persons were arrested.

The success of these operations was due to the coordination and cooperation of the neighboring police forces in these cities.

From the reports released by the West Midland Police, it can be gathered that these organized crime groups were suspected to be involved in the illegal cultivation of cannabis, or heading cocaine and heroin supply chains. Collections of arms were seized from sawn-off shotguns to imitation pistols that have been designed to discharge live rounds.

The policemen also retrieved over 500 wraps of Class A drugs, several burner phones, mixing agents, cannabis, and more than £13,000 in cash from these raids.

"I am committed to protecting vulnerable people who are being ruthlessly exploited," said the Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster. He said the Violence Reduction Unit is working ceaselessly to guarantee the safety of the young population.

The commissioner promised to use his position to curb the activities of the drug kingpins involved in this crime.

The West Midlands police force is partnering with local authorities to protect and secure the young people who have been drawn into these illegal activities.

Commissioner Foster said, " children should first be seen as children". The negative activities carried out by these drug organizations will have a negative impact on these children. Children should be able to grow up in a safe environment while being adequately cared for.

Conclusion

The discovery of a crypto mine at the Great Bridge Industrial Estate was certainly not what the police were expecting.

Last month, the intensified anti-drug campaign of the force's county line was duly noticed and appreciated by the residents of the affected areas.

With the assistance of the crime commissioner Simone Foster, more of these raids would be carried out soon. In no time, all illegal drug operations in these areas would be shut down.