Police seized 30 mining machines together with an web router, a desktop swap and a coil {of electrical} wire in the course of the operation. Two native males had been detained to help with the investigation.
“The 2 males had been detained to help investigations,” Hafezul mentioned in an announcement.
Bitcoin mining raid provides to Malaysia enforcement
The most recent seizure follows a number of operations focusing on Bitcoin miners accused of bypassing electrical energy meters in Malaysia.
In July, police arrested two males after raids on three properties in Tronoh uncovered 73 Bitcoin mining machines. crypto.information beforehand reported that the operation was carried out by Batu Gajah police alongside TNB personnel beneath Op Elektrik.
Investigators discovered Bitcoin mining tools in any respect three areas, whereas technical inspections by TNB confirmed electrical energy theft at two deserted homes. Police mentioned the mining tools had been related to unauthorized electrical energy provide traces as an alternative of respectable metered connections.
The 2 suspects, aged 40 and 52, had been remanded for 3 days as investigators pursued the case beneath Part 427 of the Penal Code and Part 37(1) of the Electrical energy Provide Act 1990.
A separate operation in Terengganu had uncovered 45 mining machines in Could 2025 after police and TNB personnel raided properties within the Hulu Terengganu and Marang districts.
Police mentioned the 2 properties, together with a residential web site in Bukit Perpat and a business premises in Wakaf Tapai, had been suspected of getting been modified to bypass electrical energy meters.
TNB estimated the stolen electrical energy was costing the utility round RM36,000 per 30 days, whereas tools seized from the areas was valued at roughly RM225,000.
Electrical energy theft has price TNB thousands and thousands
Electrical energy prices are one of many foremost working bills for Bitcoin miners as a result of specialised mining machines run repeatedly whereas competing to course of transactions and earn block rewards.
Bypassing meters permits unlawful operators to keep away from paying for that energy, leaving electrical energy suppliers with the price of the consumed vitality.
TNB has reported substantial losses from such operations. The utility mentioned in 2024 that unlawful Bitcoin mining had brought about greater than RM440 million, roughly $101 million on the time, in electrical energy theft losses since 2020.
Losses reached RM5.9 million in 2020 earlier than climbing to RM140.4 million in 2021 and RM124.9 million in 2022. One other RM67.1 million was recorded in 2023.
Malaysian authorities have continued responding with joint operations involving police and TNB groups, focusing on premises the place electrical energy connections are suspected of being altered or bypassed.
Latest enforcement has included residential houses, business buildings and vacant properties transformed into mining websites.
Unlawful Bitcoin mining can create fireplace dangers
Electrical theft linked to Bitcoin mining has raised security issues alongside the monetary losses.
A Bitcoin mining operation in Kuala Lumpur was found in February 2025 after an explosion and smoke prompted firefighters to reply to a home.
Firefighters discovered modified electrical wiring contained in the property after extinguishing the hearth. Bitcoin mining machines and associated tools had been subsequently found, whereas investigators confirmed that electrical energy had been tapped by an unauthorized connection.
Within the newest Seri Iskandar case, Hafezul equally warned that unlawful connections used for cryptocurrency mining can increase the danger of fires whereas inflicting substantial losses to utility suppliers.
Two males stay beneath investigation
Police are investigating the Seri Iskandar operation beneath Part 427 of Malaysia’s Penal Code and Part 37(1) of the Electrical energy Provide Act 1990.
Part 37(1) covers tampering with or altering electrical energy installations and has repeatedly been utilized in investigations involving suspected electrical energy theft by cryptocurrency mining operators.
The identical provision was cited in the course of the July Tronoh raids and the Could 2025 Terengganu operation, alongside provisions of the Penal Code.
Hafezul mentioned police considered cryptocurrency mining involving unlawful electrical energy connections severely as a result of the exercise violated the regulation, brought about losses to electrical energy suppliers and created fireplace dangers.
Police urged members of the general public with details about unlawful cryptocurrency mining actions to offer it to authorities so suspected electrical energy theft operations could be investigated.
