Overview
- Malaysia’s cross-agency panel, staffed by the Finance Ministry, Bank Negara Malaysia and TNB, was formed on Nov. 19 to coordinate enforcement against illegal miners.
- Drones scan rooftops for heat signatures while ground teams use handheld detectors, with tips from neighbors often leading officers to hidden rigs in vacant shops and homes.
- Operators evade detection by moving frequently, installing heat shields and CCTV, reinforcing entrances, and masking machine noise with recorded bird sounds.
- Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation seized 3,642 rigs and about $8.6 million in equipment this week, tying the sites to scam networks based in Myanmar and underscoring regional coordination.
- Officials say electricity theft linked to mining rose about 300% since 2018, nearly 2,400 sites were shut in 2024, grid equipment faces safety risks, and policy options under discussion include tighter rules or a possible ban.