In Indonesia, a police operation was carried out, as a result of which a group of people suspected of stealing electricity was detained. They were discovered connecting their mining rigs to the state power grid. Electricity theft is a serious criminal offense in Indonesia, punishable by up to five years in prison.
Indonesian authorities have detained a group of miners suspected of stealing electricity. Presumably, they connected their mining farms to the power grid of one of the state-owned companies, Coindesk reports, citing local media reports.
During searches in Medan, North Sumatra law enforcement authorities discovered 1,314 mining rigs and detained 26 people involved in the crime. According to preliminary data, the state suffered damage worth 14.4 billion Indonesian rupiah (about $100,000).
The statement said the suspects may have stolen about 10 million kWh, which is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of 7,500 people in the country.
Under Indonesian law, stealing electricity is a criminal offense. It is punishable by a fine and imprisonment for up to five years.
The source said such cases are not uncommon in neighboring Malaysia. Local authorities have repeatedly detained persons involved in the theft of electricity. However, such thefts are less common in Indonesia.
In September 2023, police detained a man who was stealing electricity for cryptocurrency mining. During the investigation, it turned out that he connected his farm to the power grid of one of the local stores.
According to Glassnode, since October 2023, Bitcoin miners began to reduce the reserves of the first cryptocurrency. Experts suggested that this could negatively affect the price of the asset.
We previously reported that electricity payments for miners would be reduced The changes will come into force on January 1, 2024.
