Mexican authorities in the state of Puebla have uncovered a hidden cryptocurrency mining operation that was illegally siphoning electricity from a hydroelectric dam, according to a report from Telemundo. Officials said the covert setup was discovered after investigators noticed unusual power drains linked to the dam’s electrical grid.
Inside the site, officers found at least 300 computer units, all reportedly wired directly into the power supply without authorization. The equipment was reportedly being used around the clock to mine digital currencies, a process that requires massive amounts of electricity to run high-powered computers solving complex calculations.
A security specialist consulted by Telemundo described the case as an example of how organized crime groups in Mexico are branching out into new, less visible forms of illicit activity. Rather than traditional smuggling or extortion schemes, criminal networks are increasingly exploiting energy theft to fund profitable cryptocurrency operations, which can generate significant income while avoiding the high costs of legal electricity rates.
The discovery raises fresh questions about oversight of Mexico’s energy infrastructure and the growing intersection between organized crime and digital finance. Authorities have not yet announced arrests connected to the case.
You can watch the original video report and see footage from the site by visiting Telemundo’s website.
Source: Hallan granja clandestina de criptomonedas en México que robaba suministro de energía de una presa (telemundo.com).
Image: Marcin Wichary, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).