Illegal Bitcoin Mining Operations Disrupted in Irkutsk Region, Affecting Over 250 Mining Devices
Unregistered Crypto Farm Busted in Shelekhov
Hold up, folks! A whopping 250-device crypto farm has been uncovered in the heart of Shelekhov, Irkutsk Region — and you won't believe who the owner is! This sneaky operation, housed in a none-too-discreet non-residential building, belonged to an unregistered private individual, who sure knows how to dodge the authorities, eh?
Now, you might wonder, what's so wrong with setting up a crypto farm in this quiet town? Well, the Shelekhovsky district, unfortunately, finds itself on a list of forbidden territories for crypto mining during winter months between 2025 and 2031. Yeah, talk about harsh winters and a power crunch!
So, what happened to all that juice this farm was swallowing up? The total power consumption actually reached a staggering 1 MW, which went poof into thin air. Guess what? The law enforcement swooped down, put a stop to this mining madness, and seized the equipment before it could churn out any more cryptos.
The authorities have launched a deep dive into their investigation, searching for signs of property damage caused by fraud or abuse of trust. Speaking of fraud, did you know that these "gray" miners cost Russia a whopping 10 billion rubles in annual losses last year?
The Russian government has woken up to this energy crisis and enacted some serious legislation, aiming to regulate crypto mining and cap electricity usage. As of September 1, Russia now keeps individual miners on a tight leash, limiting their monthly power consumeption to a mere 6,000 kWh for crypto mining. Zooooom!
Now, if this crypto mini-drama in Shelekhov seems all too familiar, it's because regions like Irkutsk are caught in the heat of energy shortages due to crypto mining activities. Power firms have even developed tricks to detect illegal mining operations, such as quick internet shutdowns, and for the record, Dagestan is a well-known hotspot for these sophisticated pilferers. And, hey, beware! Russian authorities are now looking at beefing up penalties, even criminal charges! So think thrice before plugging in that mining rig!
In Shelekhov, Irkutsk Region, an unregistered individual operated a large-scale crypto mining farm, evading authorities while consuming up to 1 MW of power during winter months when crypto mining is forbidden. The authorities seized the equipment amid investigations into property damage caused by fraud or abuse of trust, aiming to regulate mining and prevent annual losses that have surpassed 10 billion rubles, as well as penalizing such activities with increased legal consequences.
