Police Bust Migrant Smuggling Syndicate, Raid Illegal Bitcoin Mines

IPOH, April 15 (Bernama) -- Police have crippled a syndicate involved in smuggling undocumented Indonesian migrants, with 40 individuals detained in raids conducted from Jalan Besar Segari to Batu Hilal near Segari on April 4.

Manjung police chief ACP Hasbullah Abd Rahman said the operation followed intelligence gathering and public tip-offs on suspicious movements in the area.

“Those detained comprised 40 Indonesians and a local woman believed to have acted as a transporter, bringing in and moving undocumented migrants to designated locations.

“The case is being investigated under Sections 26A and 26J of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (ATIPSOM), as well as Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63,” he said in a statement today.

Hasbullah said police later intensified follow-up operations to curb migrant entry through illegal routes, particularly along coastal areas.

In an operation at 2.30 am yesterday, carried out with the Kampung Acheh Marine Police, 10 more Indonesians were detained in Kampung Sungai Lombong near Lekir for failing to produce valid identification documents.

“On the same day, another seven Indonesians were detained at a separate location, bringing the total arrests in the follow-up operations to 17,” he said.

In a separate case, Hasbullah said police, in a joint raid with Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) yesterday, uncovered an illegal bitcoin mining operation involving four premises suspected of using illegal electricity connections to power mining machines.

“Four individuals were detained and 46 machines were seized. The case is being investigated under Section 427 of the Penal Code and Section 37(1) of the Electricity Supply Act 1990,” he said.

He said offenders could face a fine of up to RM100,000, imprisonment of up to three years, or both.

Hasbullah said that so far this year, 38 raids on illegal bitcoin mining activities had been carried out with TNB, resulting in the seizure of 487 machines and the arrest of nine individuals.

-- BERNAMA