In line with a Blockspace report, federal brokers on Monday stormed the Lonestar Dream Bitcoin Mining web site in Pete, Texas, and headed straight to an ASIC restore middle run by Bitmain-related ADW Tech.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation unfolded at dawn and targeted on contractors who proceed to run anti-minor rigs on the 30 MW web site offered by Poolin not too long ago.
Witnesses allegedly stated the assault seemed like a struggle scene. “Helicopters, snipers, armed males,” one supply informed Blockspace, “Describes an ice helicopter heading up earlier than Black Tahoe cavalry arrived on the scene.
The agent added, “Who will do that, who will do it.” There have been a number of establishments. The ICE, the FBI, Homeland Safety Survey (HSI), the Texas Public Security Company (DPS), and the U.S. Customs and Border Safety Company (CBP) all participated, in response to individuals on the positioning.
Brokers detain ADW Tech Workers and seize paperwork
Regulation enforcement eliminated 12 or 13 employees, about half of the restore store employees, from the Pete facility after failing to show correct credentials. The identical supply stated ICE focused Chinese language residents and took everybody with them on an expired visa.
This RAID didn’t have an effect on different native operators akin to Genesis Digital Belongings, which operates the 195 MW Bitcoin mine on Pyote, nevertheless it was not the topic of this motion.
ADW Tech is a Bitmain contractor and authorized Antminer Restore Store embedded in Lonestar Dream. The corporate’s presence highlights how West Texas has change into a mining hub, drawing celebrities with low cost energy and large land. The latest sale of the positioning by Pullin nonetheless stays repaired by ADW know-how, the place federal scrutiny has landed.
This motion comes as US Bitmain-linked restore facilities face rising authorities consideration. The assault connects with an extended story that includes the Trump administration’s dealing with of mining {hardware} imports.
On the finish of 2024, CBP started sporadically holding and seizing shipments of ASIC miners at US ports, generally sustaining them for a number of months and charging holding charges with out explaining the flag.
After Trump took workplace, a number of cargoes detained in 2025 have been taken into custody and commenced being launched within the second half of the primary quarter and early second quarter.
Officers stated they’re on the lookout for a restricted AI chip for ASIC Miners’ Management Boards, a semiconductor firm that shares Bitmain CEO Micree Zhan.
The US Division of Commerce is actively investigating the potential for Sofgo’s sanctions violations.
