Police in Poland have arrested a man suspected of threatening to contaminate food unless he was paid a ransom in Bitcoin.
The Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime (CBZC) helped gather information about the messages, their source, and ultimately, their author.
Officers from the Opole branch of the CBZC arrested a 50-year-old man. The suspect was charged but pleaded not guilty. The operation also involves the District Prosecutor’s Office in Opole.
The Opole resident is accused of exposing food production plants to losses exceeding several million złoty (1 million złoty = $271,000). He demanded a ransom in Bitcoin through blackmailing companies employing several hundred people across Poland.
Threats to poison products
Facing significant financial losses, the unnamed food production plant owners first reported the incident to police in early April. The case involved bomb threats and warnings of contaminating food produced in the factories.
In the emails, the author threatened to detonate planted materials and apply toxic substances to the production line. The anonymous sender demanded a ransom in the form of Bitcoin, specifying a cryptocurrency wallet. This was where the money was supposed to be transferred, reaching several million złoty. None of the targeted victims complied with the demands.
The online blackmailer forced some factory owners to evacuate their employees. Similar emails threatening the use of explosives were sent to an airport in Poland and a large amusement park.
At the time of the arrest, the 50-year-old had knives, a baseball bat, pepper spray, and a stun gun in his car. Police seized other weapons from the man’s apartment, including items resembling handguns and long-barrel air rifles, and equipment enabling access to cryptocurrency wallets.
The man faces up to 15 years in prison for the alleged offenses and he was remanded in custody.
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