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Malaysian authorities have intensified their actions against illegal bitcoin mining and created a dedicated task force. The group uses drones, thermal cameras, and police patrols to detect mining sites that steal power from the national grid. According to Bloomberg, nearly 14,000 mining rigs were operating without authorization. Many of them were hidden in residential areas, where neighbors reported unusual noise.
State-owned utility Tenaga Nasional revealed that illegal miners stole $1.1 billion worth of electricity since 2020. Officials warn that such activity now poses structural risks to the national grid. As a result, the government stresses that the issue is no longer only about theft but about potential damage to critical infrastructure.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="illegal-bitcoin-mining-grows-despite-previous-crackdowns">Illegal bitcoin mining grows despite previous crackdowns</h2>
Malaysia has seen a sharp rise in electricity theft cases. Reports show a 300% increase in incidents between 2018 and the end of 2024. During this period, authorities shut down almost 2,400 illegal mining operations. However, the scale continues to rise, and miners often use advanced methods to avoid detection.
Analysts estimate that the stolen electricity could power around 373,000 households for an entire year. Alternatively, it could cover basic annual food needs for more than 567,000 residents. Therefore, officials claim that stricter inspections and stronger penalties are essential for stabilizing the energy market.
The new task force plans to continue operations using improved surveillance tools and thermal monitoring systems. Although authorities report regular progress, Tenaga Nasional has not responded to media requests for comment.
Read also: <a href="https://ultramining.com/news/en/malaysia-lost-1b-to-illegal-crypto-mining-since-2020/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Malaysia Lost $1B to Illegal Crypto Mining Since 2020</a>

Malaysia Launches Task Force to Disable 14,000 Mining Rigs

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