IPOH, 4 Jan — The Perak police managed to bust bitcoin mining operations at 16 premises and seized equipment worth RM1.6 million in an operation around Manjung district.
Perak police chief Datuk Mior Faridalathrash Wahid said the police with the assistance of Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) had implemented Op Letrik TNB from 3pm yesterday till 4am today to stamp out electricity supply theft for bitcoin mining.
He said nine TNB special technicians and six firefighters from Sitiawan fire and rescue station assisted the operation that involved 155 police officers and personnel.
“Throughout the operation, 47 premises around the area of Manjung were inspected and 16 premises were found to be conducting bitcoin mining activities.
“Police seized 816 mining rigs, 15 monitors, 17 central processing units (CPUs) and 16 Internet routers,” he said in a statement here today.
Mior Faridalathrash said all the cases would be investigated under Section 427 of the Penal Code and Section 37(3) of the Electricity Supply Act 1990.
“The police will also intensify efforts to conduct operations and raids and not compromise in curbing the theft of electricity in Perak.
“Landlords who rent out premises are advised to know what activities are being conducted by their tenants so that they will not be associated with illegal activities,” he said.
On December 30, a man was arrested over suspicions of illegally mining bitcoin and stealing electricity and equipment worth RM3.5 million were seized in Manjung district.
Mior Faridalathrash said the suspect, 28, who worked at a business premise was arrested in Ayer Tawar here under a bitcoin special joint operation against 30 premises found to be conducting bitcoin mining activities illegally and engaged in electricity supply theft. — Bernama
