SEREMBAN – Two men suspected of being involved in stealing electricity for illegal bitcoin mining operations were arrested after police raided three separate premises around Lukut, Port Dickson yesterday.
Port Dickson district police chief Aidi Sham Mohamed said the raids were conducted by a team of officers and personnel from the Port Dickson district police headquarters’ Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Negri Sembilan contingent police headquarters, together with staff from Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) around 6pm.
According to him, the police also seized 150 bitcoin mining machines worth an estimated RM600,000 in the raids.
“Both men, aged 26 and 27, who were arrested at the first location, tested positive for syabu.
“They were found to have prior criminal records and were also issued compounds for unauthorised inter-district travel during the movement control order,” he said in a statement here today.
Aidi said TNB suffered losses of almost RM40,000 a month due to electricity theft for mining bitcoin at the three premises, which began about three months ago.
The case is being investigated under Section 427 of the Penal Code and Section 37(3) of the Electricity Supply Act 1990 for illegal electricity supply use, he added. – Bernama, June 5, 2021
