Bitcoin Miners Hunted After Stealing $1 Billion of Electricity From Malaysia Grid
Cracking down on illegal Bitcoin mining gangs has become a cat-and-mouse game in Malaysia.
An official inspects rigs after a bitcoin mining raid in July 2024.
Source: Deputy Minister of PETRA’s Office
In Malaysia’s illegal crypto mining hotspots, the hunt begins in the sky.
Drones buzz over rows of shops and abandoned houses, sweeping for pockets of unexpected heat, the thermal signature of machines that shouldn’t be running. On the ground, police carry handheld sensors that sniff out irregular power use. Sometimes the pursuit is more low-tech: residents call in with complaints of strange bird noises, only for officers to discover nature sounds being used to mask the roar of machinery behind closed doors.