Kuwait has launched a crackdown on cryptocurrency miners it accuses of being a "major" cause of a power crisis that has led to blackouts, as authorities seek to ease pressure on the grid before the start of a sweltering summer.
Authorities started a "wide-ranging" security operation last week, the interior ministry said in a statement, targeting homes used for cryptocurrency mining, an activity it said was illegal.
Crypto mining activities "constitute an unlawful exploitation of electrical power … and may cause outages affecting residential, commercial and service areas, posing a direct threat to public safety", the ministry said.
Kuwait has banned cryptocurrency trading but has no laws specifically addressing mining.
OPEC member Kuwait is grappling with a severe power crisis driven by population growth, urban expansion, rising temperatures and delayed maintenance at some plants.