IPOH: Police in Perak Tengah have busted two cryptocurrency mining operations in Bandar Seri Iskandar that were allegedly stealing electricity.
Perak Tengah OCPD Supt Hafezul Helmi Hamzah said the raids, which were conducted at about 1.40pm on Thursday (July 16), targeted premises on the first and second floors of a shoplot along Persiaran SIBC 8.
He said officers from the district Criminal Investigation Division with assistance from Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), carried out the operation.
“Investigations found that both premises had been illegally connected to the electricity supply without valid TNB electricity meters.
“Police seized 62 cryptocurrency mining machines, two network routers, four KVM switches and two rolls of electrical cables,” he said in a statement today. (July 17)
He said all the seized items have been taken to the Perak Tengah district police headquarters for further investigation.
“No arrests have been made, and efforts are underway to trace the suspects.
“We are also in the midst of identifying the owners of the premises,” he said
Supt Hafezul said TNB estimated electricity losses of about RM60,000 based on the power consumed during the mining operations.
The case is being investigated under Section 427 of the Penal Code and Section 37(1) of the Electricity Supply Act 1990.
He said police view electricity theft linked to cryptocurrency mining seriously as it not only causes financial losses to TNB but also poses fire risks and threatens public safety.
“Those with information on electricity theft are urged to contact the Perak Tengah district police headquarters operations room at 05-3712222 or the nearest police station,” he added.
