Malaysian Police Crack Down on BTC Mining Power Theft Ring


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Ahmed Barakat

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Ahmed BarakatIt has been confirmed

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August 2025

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Ahmed Barakat is a journalist and author from Georgia who focuses on blockchain technology, DeFi, AI, privacy, digital economy, and fintech.


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September 2018

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In today’s Bitcoin news, police in Malaysia have busted a Bitcoin mining group following four attacks on July 22 and 23 by Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) at four mining sites.

Authorities arrested three local men and seized 71 cryptocurrency miners in an operation that generated between RM80,000 and RM100,000 (~$25,000) in monthly profits.

The explosion, known as Ops Letrik, exposes the continuing economic impact of illegal mining in Johor, Malaysia: electricity theft turns a potentially unprofitable operation into a low-cost one, with TNB taking the cost.

The news came down as Bitcoin USD fell -0.4% over the past 24 hours, down to $65,300 after losing the level of $66,000 yesterday. As of now, the grant at $65,000 is still in effect.

Bitcoin News: How the Johor Syndicate Worked

The operation was carried out by the Johor Contingent Police Headquarters’ Criminal Investigation Department (D4) in collaboration with TNB’s Southern Region SEAL team.

The thugs hit three residential buildings and one shop in Iskandar Puteri, Johor Bahru Utara, and Kulai – each with rents ranging from RM5,000 to RM6,000 per month, and are still investigating.

The syndicate’s method was direct knocking: bypassing TNB’s authorized meters and power wires to allow their Bitcoin mining operation to operate without paying a bill.

About a month before the police intervened, an electricity theft cost TNB RM67,502.30. The profit margin is self-evident – the organization is clearing its electricity bills of RM67,000 per month in Bitcoin but paying nothing.

The seized items include 71 cryptocurrency mining machines, two computers, two laptops, five routers, two monitors, two keyboards, one mobile phone and two cars.

Johor police chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad said one suspect was in charge of all four facilities, while the other two were foreign technicians responsible for wiring and machinery.

Ab Rahaman said preliminary investigations found that the group could make between RM80,000 and RM100,000 a month, while the suspects are believed to be paid about RM5,000 a month.

All three suspects, aged between 26 and 46, have been remanded in custody until July 26. Police say they are actively tracking other people linked to the network.

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Exposure to Johor Laws and Securities Documents

The case is being investigated under two laws: Section 427 of the Penal Code for misdemeanor charges, which carries a prison term of between one and five years, or a fine, or both, upon conviction. and Section 37(1) of the Electricity Supply Act 1990 for interfering with the installation of electricity, which carries a fine not exceeding RM100,000, imprisonment for up to five years, or both.

Combined exposure is good but not prohibitive due to the high level of profit, which is why Malaysian law enforcement has become more and more enforceable rather than relying on formal prohibition.

Between January 2025 and June 2026, the Johor Contingent Police raided 16 sites related to illegal cryptocurrency mining, and seized 158 machines together with a loss of approximately RM1 million to TNB.

The operation on July 22–23 affected 71 mining machines and cost TNB RM67,502.30 – less than previous buses but still working the same way.

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The problem of electricity theft in Malaysia

In many Bitcoin stories, the attack on Johor is one way to strengthen the country. This development separates Malaysia’s problem from many areas: this is not a disruption to the grid but a sustainable business that operates without government funding.

The math that drives this process is straightforward. Bitcoin mining licenses in Malaysia require the payment of trading electricity prices against the results of the BTC price, streams that quickly suppress when the Internet problem rises.

Stealing power removes the initial variable cost, turning marginal or wasteful operations into profitable ones regardless of market conditions. This explains why the enforcers have not stopped the practice despite years of attacks, arrests, and prosecutions.

The difference with the above Bitcoin services is quite obvious. That Bitcoin legal businesses manage financial transparency and transparent transaction costsOrganizations such as the Johor network produce their highest value in the public sector.

Johor police said they were continuing to pursue other suspects linked to the gang, suggesting the network extended beyond the three men in custody.

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