A man from Governador Island, Brazil, was arrested for illegally siphoning off electricity to operate a cryptocurrency mining business. The operation, discovered in the Freguesia area, utilized high-performance machines and was found to be running continuously without a power meter, indicating electricity theft. While Brazil permits grassroots crypto mining, the ruling Workers Party seeks to regulate the sector by requiring operators to attain a Digital Miner Authorization License. This crackdown is part of a broader trend in South America where illegal crypto mining poses a significant challenge, with incidents reported in neighboring countries like Venezuela and Paraguay. Recent efforts in these nations reflect growing concerns over the impact of unauthorized mining on local electricity grids. The situation is compounded globally, with a reported increase in illegal mining operations, highlighted by a 300% rise in Malaysia since 2018.

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