Malaysian police have dismantled an illegal bitcoin mining operation and seized 1,720 bitcoin mining machines as part of a major crackdown on electricity theft. The action followed public complaints and was carried out with national utility company Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and the Sitiawan Fire and Rescue Station.
75 premises inspected, 30 linked to illegal mining
According to local reports, Perak police chief Datuk Mior Faridalathrash Wahid said authorities inspected 75 premises across the Manjung district. Of those, 30 locations were found to be conducting illegal bitcoin mining activities while stealing electricity. He described the operation as the most significant success achieved jointly with TNB this year.
TNB estimated the stolen electricity was worth about RM2 million, or roughly $478,870. In addition to the mining rigs, authorities confiscated 15 monitors, 22 central processing units, 16 keyboards, seven mice, 56 modems, and one laptop. Police also seized a Toyota Hilux, 44 exhaust fans, five alarm units, and seven CCTV cameras.
One suspect arrested as investigation continues
Police arrested a 28-year-old caretaker at premises in Ayer Tawar on suspicion of involvement in illegal bitcoin mining and electricity theft. The suspect was remanded for four days and is being investigated under Sections 379 and 427 of the Penal Code, as well as the Electricity Supply Act 1990.
Authorities said the investigation is ongoing to identify the mastermind behind the operation and determine how long the illegal mining activity had been running. The case also echoes earlier enforcement in Malaysia: in July 2021, authorities publicly destroyed 1,069 bitcoin mining machines with a steamroller after they had been confiscated.
The latest seizure highlights how illegal mining tied to power theft remains a key enforcement issue in Malaysia, especially as complaints from the public continue to trigger coordinated crackdowns.