GEORGE TOWN – Penang police yesterday raided four premises for allegedly stealing electricity to power bitcoin mining in Bukit Mertajam.
Criminal Investigation Department chief Rahimi Raais said six local men were arrested in the 4pm raid.
Rahimi said all the premises, which have been operating for almost a year, were connected without going through the approved electrical meters and are not registered, causing Tenaga Nasional Berhad to lose hundreds of thousands of ringgit.
“During the operation, the police also confiscated 322 units of cryptocurrency servers, five mobile phones, three laptops, electrical cable equipment, seven modem routers and two Honda City cars.
“All those arrested are aged between 28 and 51. Two of them have criminal records.”
Rahimi said the police are investigating if there are traces of criminal syndicates in this cases.
He added that three of the men arrested were remanded for four days while the remaining three were remanded for three days to assist in the investigation, under Section 379 and Section 427 of the Penal Code. – The Vibes, March 5, 2021
