Over the Christmas weekend, Indonesian authorities raided 10 sites suspected of mining Bitcoin using electricity stolen from the national power grid.
Although Indonesia is a rapidly growing cryptocurrency adoption country, it is not well known as a mining hub.
However, in Indonesian, lawTheft of electricity is considered a criminal offense, punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to twice the value of the unpaid electricity.
Indonesia’s neighbor Malaysia has arrested several people in connection with power theft by cryptocurrency miners, but this is Among the first reported cases In Indonesia.
At the search site in Medan, North Sumatra, authorities discovered 1,314 Bitcoin rigs and detained 26 people.
suspects allegedly stole For the past six months, power has been supplied by energizing the poles of state-run power company PLN, which has cost the country the equivalent of about 14.4 billion Indonesian rupees ($100,000).
Sandali Handagama contributed reporting.
