Malaysian Authorities Seize Over 75,000 Crypto Mining Machines

The Royal Malaysia Police and other agencies have conducted over 3,000 raids nationwide since 2022, seizing more than 75,000 cryptocurrency mining machines. Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar announced that 629 people were arrested during these coordinated operations.

The seizures are part of the government's efforts to curb illegal cryptocurrency mining activities. The Home Ministry is working with agencies such as Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) to boost intelligence gathering and technology use to identify potential hotspots before conducting operations.

Cryptocurrency mining activities are considered illegal when they involve unauthorized electricity connections, tampering with meters, disrupting power supply systems, or operating without the required licenses. The Deputy Minister emphasized that while profits may be a motivation, they do not justify illegal activities, including the theft of electricity to lower operating expenses.