Mexican authorities recently dismantled a clandestine cryptocurrency mining operation in Puebla, highlighting a growing trend of organized crime groups using illicit infrastructure to launder money through digital assets.
Key Points
- Police discovered 300 graphics processing units, 80 medium-voltage terminals, and eight satellite antennae at the remote site in Tlaola.
- Investigators are probing whether the facility was stealing electricity from a nearby hydroelectric dam to offset high mining costs.
- This is the fourth illegal crypto farm uncovered in the Sierra Norte region of Puebla since early 2023.
- Chainalysis reports that global illicit cryptocurrency transactions surged to $154 billion in 2025, driven by money laundering and sanctions evasion.
- Experts note that cartels are increasingly leveraging technical expertise to exploit cheap or stolen energy for profitable virtual currency production.