Malaysia Cracks Down on Illicit Bitcoin Mining Operation
Malaysian authorities have cracked down on an illegal Bitcoin mining operation in Tronoh, arresting two men and seizing 73 mining machines. The investigation, led by Batu Gajah district police chief Assistant Commissioner Md Noor Aehawan Mohammad, found that the mining equipment was powered through stolen electricity via unauthorized power connections.
The operation, codenamed Op Elektrik, involved a joint effort between local police and Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), Malaysia's national electricity provider. The authorities confirmed that each of the three properties used for Bitcoin mining had been modified to bypass legitimate metered connections.
Police have remanded the two suspects for three days to facilitate further investigations. Authorities are investigating the case under Section 427 of Malaysia's Penal Code and Section 37(1) of the Electricity Supply Act 1990, which covers interference with electrical installations and electricity theft.