ChainCatcher news: According to Protos, the Deputy Minister of Energy Transformation and Water Transformation of Malaysia stated that illegal crypto miners in Malaysia stole US$722 million worth of electricity between 2018 and 2023.
Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir revealed the figure at a ceremony to process 2,022 seized items, including bitcoin mining equipment, Malay Mail reported.
"Cryptocurrency miners steal electricity because there are no meters at their premises, so this behavior cannot be detected," said Akmal Nasrullah. "But energy supply companies have various methods to detect abnormal energy consumption in an area."
In addition, it claims that preventing cryptocurrency miners from stealing electricity is a top priority for the Malaysian government.