Key facts
- A clandestine cryptocurrency farm was discovered in the mountains of Puebla, Mexico.
- The farm used 300 graphics processing units (GPUs), 80 medium-voltage terminals, and eight satellite antennae.
- This is the fourth such operation found in the area since early last year.
- Illicit cryptocurrency transactions globally more than doubled in 2025, reaching an estimated $154 billion.
- The Puebla farm is suspected of using stolen electricity, potentially from a nearby hydroelectric dam.
- Security analysts believe the operation required technical expertise and backing from a well-financed group, such as a powerful cartel.
Authorities in Puebla, Mexico, have uncovered a clandestine cryptocurrency mining farm hidden in the Sierra Norte mountains, suspected of being used by organized criminal groups to launder illicit funds. The operation, found next to a sparsely traveled gravel road, was detected by its loud mechanical whirring and the vast amount of electricity required to power hundreds of specialized computing units.
This discovery marks a new phase in Mexico's struggle against organized crime, which is increasingly venturing into financial crimes beyond traditional drug trafficking and extortion. The farm was equipped with 300 graphics processing units (GPUs), 80 medium-voltage terminals, and eight satellite antennae, indicating a significant setup for mining virtual coins like Bitcoin. This is the fourth such facility found in the region since early last year.
Security analysts suggest that such an operation would require substantial technical expertise and financial backing, pointing towards involvement from powerful cartels. Mexico's federal attorney's office declined to comment, citing an active investigation.
Globally, illicit cryptocurrency transactions more than doubled in 2025, with addresses linked to criminal activity receiving an estimated $154 billion, according to blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis. The firm's Latin America specialist, Caio Motta, noted that cartels in the region are increasingly using crypto transfers and mining to launder money, often by stealing electricity due to its high cost in crypto mining. The University of Cambridge's Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index estimates the cost of minting one Bitcoin at nearly $45,000, making electricity theft a significant cost-saving measure. Mexican authorities are investigating whether the Puebla farm was stealing power from a nearby hydroelectric dam.
The remote mountain terrain provided an ideal hiding spot, with residents reporting hearing the whirring noise from up to a kilometer away. Similar raids have occurred in Brazil, the U.S., and Southeast Asia. While law enforcement agencies are improving their ability to trace online transactions, Chainalysis predicts that rising global cryptocurrency use will likely push crypto-related crime to new records.