KUALA LUMPUR – Police have detained a total of 627 people believed to have been involved in electricity theft for bitcoin mining activities from 2020 till now, with several items worth RM69.8 million also confiscated.
Without disclosing further details, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said the arrests were made in cooperation between Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
He said as a result of the cooperation, the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has received nine Mitsubishi Triton four-wheel-drive vehicles from TNB to be used by CID in combating electricity theft in the country.
“PDRM expresses its highest appreciation to TNB for its contribution,” he said in a statement today.
He said TNB chief executive officer Datuk Baharin Din handed over the vehicles to PDRM at Menara 1, Bukit Aman here today.
Acryl Sani advised the public to always be aware of illegal bitcoin mining activities and to channel any information about it to the police force or TNB if any parties other than TNB representatives tamper with TNB installations or make any connections to them.
“Premises’ owners are also asked to be vigilant before handing over their premises to tenants and to visit the premises regularly to inspect if premises are being misused,” he added. – Bernama, March 30, 2022