Indonesia Targets Bitcoin Miners for National Grid Electricity Theft

• Indonesian Authorities Crack Down on Suspected Bitcoin Mining Sites
• Indonesia's Stance on Electricity Theft
• The Raid on Bitcoin Mining Sites
• The Impact of Electricity Theft
• PLN's Response to the Theft

Indonesian Authorities Crack Down on Suspected Bitcoin Mining Sites

Over the Christmas weekend, ten sites in Indonesia, believed to be mining Bitcoin$42,260 -0.64% by stealing electricity from the national grid, were raided by authorities. Despite the growing adoption of cryptocurrency in Indonesia, the country isn't typically recognized as a major hub for mining activities.

Indonesia's Stance on Electricity Theft

According to Indonesian legislation, the theft of electricity is a serious crime, punishable by up to five years of imprisonment or a fine that could potentially reach twice the value of the stolen electricity. While Indonesia's neighboring country, Malaysia, has reported numerous arrests related to electricity theft for crypto mining, this could be one of the first cases of its kind in Indonesia.

The Raid on Bitcoin Mining Sites

In the raid conducted in the city of Medan, located in North Sumatra, authorities discovered 1,314 bitcoin mining rigs. A total of 26 individuals were detained in connection with the activity. The suspects allegedly stole electricity by illegally accessing utility poles owned by the state-run electricity company, PLN, causing approximately 14.4 billion Indonesian rupees ($100,000) in losses to the state over the past six months.

The Impact of Electricity Theft

Although the monetary value might seem small, the volume of electricity stolen amounts to approximately 10 million kilowatt-hours, based on recent local energy prices. This is roughly equivalent to the annual energy usage of about 7,500 individuals in the country.

PLN's Response to the Theft

A PLN official disclosed to a local news outlet on Thursday that the company plans to cooperate with authorities on similar cases in the future.

Edited by Jonathan Stoker