Power theft worth RM130,000 discovered after raid
SERDANG: Electricity theft worth RM130,000 is believed to be the result of illegal bitcoin mining in six premises here.
Police seized 297 bitcoin mining machines after raiding the premises in Taman Damai Utama and Pusat Perdagangan Bandar Putra Permai between April 8 and 17.
Serdang deputy OCPD Supt Mohd Rosdi Daud said a police team along with Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) personnel raided three premises at Atmosphere 5, Pusat Perdagangan Bandar Putra Permai, at around 3pm on April 8.
“We arrested two Chinese nationals, a man and a woman, aged 32 and 38.
“When we checked the premises, we found evidence of tampering with electricity supply equipment,” he told reporters at the Serdang police headquarters yesterday.
He said the two foreigners had been hired to act as caretakers for the premises which were being used to house bitcoin mining machines.
He said police also staked out three other premises in Jalan Damai 3, Taman Damai Utama, for 19 hours last Saturday.
“We raided the premises and found evidence of tampering with electricity supply equipment,” he said, adding that no arrests were made during these raids.
He said nine blowers, worth RM100,000, were also seized from all six premises.
“The two foreigners have been remanded until April 28 to help with further investigations,” he said, adding that investigations revealed these premises had been operating for at least one month.
He said TNB estimated losses of at least RM130,000 from the theft.