Mexico Seizes 300 Crypto Mining Rigs Wired Into a Hydroelectric Dam
Mexican federal prosecutors, the Navy, and Puebla state police seized 300 crypto-mining machines from a site in Tlaola, Puebla, after it was found drawing electricity illegally from a federal hydroelectric complex near the Nuevo Necaxa dam. Officers also took transformers, electrical terminals, and satellite internet equipment. Authorities plan to charge electricity theft; mining itself is legal in Mexico. Officials said the remote location, heavy power use, and noise drew attention, and investigators suspect the site was part of a wider network using Sierra Norte hydro infrastructure. Money laundering is also being examined, including who financed the hardware and whether mined assets were used to conceal criminal proceeds. The Federal Electricity Commission is involved in the probe. Mexico reported 6,346 GWh in non-technical losses from theft and illegal connections in early 2024.
