Germany’s Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) has seized 13 unauthorized cryptocurrency ATMs in a nationwide operation involving 60 officers and raids on 35 locations. BaFin reported that the machines facilitated illegal transactions and posed money laundering risks. Under German law, trading currencies, including cryptocurrencies, without proper authorization is illegal, with violators facing up to five…
Read more
Seven individuals were arrested in Malaysia during a special operation targeting illegal bitcoin mining in Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi and Taman Putra Perdana. The operation, which involved coordinated efforts by law enforcement, focused on detecting and stopping bitcoin mining activities linked to electricity theft. The suspects, aged between 30 and 74, included three local men…
Read more
Iran is aggressively cracking down on illegal cryptocurrency mining as the nation faces a severe power crisis exacerbated by an intense heatwave. Iranian authorities claim that unauthorized crypto mining has significantly strained Iran’s power grid, leading to widespread industrial disruptions. A bounty program has been launched to encourage citizens to report illegal mining operations. Iran…
Read more
Paraguayan authorities have intensified their efforts to fight illegal bitcoin mining, using innovative techniques including artificial intelligence (AI) and its distribution systems to detect these activities. In less than a week, two new illegal bitcoin mining operations have been closed with over 550 miners seized, causing undetermined damages to the National Power Administration (ANDE). Paraguay…
Read more
The Reserve Bank of Fiji, Fiji’s central bank, reminded Fijians that cryptocurrencies were not accepted as legal tender in the country. In a recent press release, the institution reinforced that purchasing cryptocurrency with funds held in Fiji was illegal and that penalties could be applied to citizens doing so without the bank’s approval. Reserve Bank…
Read more
The state of Sarawak in Malaysia has been prone to crypto mining rigs, many of which operate illegally. Sarawak Energy, the state-owned electric utility firm, announced today that it has identified two illegal crypto mining sites, which caused recurrent power disruption in a few areas of the state…. Read More: Malaysian State Identifies Illegal Crypto…
Read more
A covert cryptocurrency mining operation, suspected of electricity theft, was uncovered in a Marina Square shophouse in Miri, Malaysia. Representatives from the Sarawak police and Sarawak Energy plant revealed that the successful operation was made possible by a tip-off from the public. Malaysia’s Sarawak Energy and Police Uncover Illegal Crypto Mining Camp in Miri The…
Read more
Chinese chemical producers selling fentanyl ingredients have received more than $27 million in crypto payments. According to a new report by blockchain analytics firm Elliptic, approximately 90% of Chinese pharmaceutical chemical companies supplying fentanyl precursors accept cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Tether as a form of payment…. Read More: Chinese Companies Selling Fentanyl Received More Than $27…
Read more
Authorities in Iran have closed down more than 8,000 underground facilities for cryptocurrency mining in the past three years, local media reported. Despite the government’s crackdown, illegal crypto mining continues to account for a serious amount of energy consumption, official figures suggest. Illegal Crypto Miners in Iran Steal 1.8 Billion kWh of Electricity, Official Says…
Read more
The world’s largest crypto exchange by trade volume, Binance Holdings Ltd., has been sued by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao has been named in the lawsuit and the charges claim the crypto exchange broke several trading and derivatives rules. The lawsuit also names Binance’s former chief compliance officer, Samuel Lim,…
Read more
