Indonesian police recently shut down 10 Bitcoin mining operations over allegations of electricity theft, claiming nearly $1 million in stolen power. The North Sumatra Police dismantled a widespread Bitcoin mining network spanning 10 locations, seizing 1,134 mining machines, 11 meters of electrical cable, and computer gear.
The Chief of North Sumatra Police, Irjen Agung Setya Imam Effendi, accused the organizers of manipulating electrical circuits to fuel the extensive array of Bitcoin mining machines. He demonstrated the tampered electrical box, noting that instead of the regular flow of electricity being measured by the meter, these miners were siphoning power directly from the pole.
The authorities estimated the combined loss from these 10 spots due to electricity theft to be around 14.4 billion Indonesian rupiahs, equivalent to about $935,666.
This incident follows a case in August 2023, where a Chinese official received a life sentence for taking bribes and enabling access to electricity for a $329 million Bitcoin mining operation. Yi Xiao, a former vice chairman in China, allegedly facilitated a massive mining venture that consumed 10% of Fuzhou city’s total electricity supply at one point.
