TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – A recent crackdown in Malaysia has highlighted a growing problem across Southeast Asia: the connection between illegal cryptocurrency mining, electricity theft, and organized crime networks.

According to a report by Deutsche Welle (DW), Malaysian authorities uncovered a cryptocurrency mining operation in the southern state of Johor, where 71 mining machines had been operating around the clock across four rented properties before police conducted raids on July 22 and 23.

Authorities arrested three suspects and seized computers, routers, vehicles, and equipment allegedly used for illegal Bitcoin mining.

Johor police chief Ab Rahaman Arsad said the syndicate had bypassed electricity meters, causing estimated losses…