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Indonesia police recently carried out a critical operation. The police conducted ten separate raids, halting 10 mining operations. It was shared that during these raids, 1,314 Bitcoin mining devices, electrical cables, and various computer parts were seized.
Accusations of $1 Million Theft
North Sumatra Police Force reported that they stopped Bitcoin mining activities at ten locations in Indonesia. According to the report, the Indonesian police also accused the organizers of these operations of stealing electricity worth approximately 1 million dollars.
North Sumatra Police Inspector General Agung Setya stated in a press conference:
Yesterday, we took action related to electricity theft. We moved against this theft at 10 points where we knew stolen electricity was used to power Bitcoin machines.
According to Agung, the perpetrators stole electricity from state-owned PLN poles, and the theft is estimated to have occurred over the past six months.
This device looks clean. However, as we see here, this box, the PLN box, but the flow of electricity inside is not the same as the electricity that should enter the box and be counted by a meter. So what they did was take the electricity directly from the pole and channel it inside.
Suspects May Be Involved in Multiple Crimes
According to the former Riau Police Chief, 26 people were arrested, but the legal identities of those captured have not yet been disclosed. The former police chief did not share any information on whether the 10 different locations where the electricity theft occurred were controlled by the same person or group and added that this matter is still part of the investigation:
We will enter the investigation process later. After the evidence and examinations are completed, we will build the law and determine who the suspect is.
Authorities seized 1,314 Bitcoin equipment, 11 computer CPU units, laptops, and other evidence at the ten different sites where the raids were conducted
Electricity theft is a criminal offense in Indonesia, as it is around the world, and the former chief indicated that action would be taken against those involved. He also stated:
We are determined, PLN and the National Police will take action against everyone involved in this electricity theft incident, everyone is equal in the eyes of the law. Please allow time for this process because it relates to the Electricity Law, Article 51 of Law No. 30 of 2009.
