IPOH: Police have detained two local men following the discovery of a cryptocurrency mining operation believed to have been using electricity through an illegal connection in Seri Iskandar.
Perak Tengah OCPD Supt Hafezul Helmi Hamzah said the operation was carried out by the district’s police Criminal Investigation Division in collaboration with Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB).
He said the operation led to the identification of a premises in the Seri Iskandar area where an illegal electrical connection had allegedly been made to power the Bitcoin mining activities.
“Police seized 30 Bitcoin mining machines, an Internet router, a desktop switch and a coil of electrical wire.
“The two men were detained to assist investigations,” he said in a statement on Tuesday (Sept 29).
Supt Hafezul said 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 viewed cryptocurrency mining involving electricity theft seriously, as it not only violated the law but could cause substantial losses to utility providers and increase the risk of fire.
