Charging is illegal: 26 miners in Indonesia are facing justice for Energy piracy

The Indonesian authorities have opposed the illegal mining of cryptocurrencies

In Indonesia, 26 people were arrested during a special raid that took place over the Christmas weekend in Medan province, North Sumatra, accused of illegally using electricity to mine bitcoin. The operation by law enforcement agencies led to the discovery and seizure of 1,314 devices used for mining cryptocurrencies that connected to power lines without permission.

According to reports, over the past six months, the suspects illegally connected mining equipment to electric grids owned by the state-owned electricity supply company PLN. The economic damage from such actions is estimated at about 14.4 billion Indonesian rupees, which is equivalent to about one million American dollars.

According to Indonesian law, theft of electricity is a crime punishable by imprisonment for up to five years or a fine of up to twice the value of the stolen electricity. The suspects are currently in custody and awaiting further investigation and prosecution.

The Indonesian government has recently been actively implementing blockchain technologies in various industries, including systems for tracking land certificates and qualification documents of educational institutions, in an effort to improve the transparency and efficiency of these processes. This event highlights the determination of the authorities to combat the illegal use of technology to the detriment of society and the country's economy.