Mexican authorities have dismantled a cryptocurrency mining site in Tlaola, Puebla, after investigators found what they described as an unauthorized electricity connection near the Nuevo Necaxa hydroelectric complex. The operation was centered in Puebla’s northern highlands and contained roughly 300 GPU-based mining machines along with supporting electrical and communications equipment.

The discovery has widened into a broader investigation involving the Federal Electricity Commission, the Attorney General’s Office and the Navy. Officials are examining whether the facility was part of a larger pattern of electricity theft and whether similar operations may be active in nearby municipalities.

Raid uncovers large mining setup

According to the report, authorities seized a substantial collection of hardware at the site, including transformers, medium-voltage terminals and satellite internet equipment in addition to the mining machines. Investigators linked the facility to a significant illicit power connection close to federal hydroelectric infrastructure.

Officials believe the mine’s heavy electricity consumption was a key factor in drawing attention to the operation. The scale of the power use appears to have helped investigators identify the site and move in to dismantle it.

Focus is on electricity theft, not mining itself

The case does not center on cryptocurrency mining as an activity, which remains legal in Mexico. Instead, the investigation is focused on the alleged theft of electricity used to run the equipment.

That distinction is important to the current probe. Authorities are treating the Puebla operation as a possible infrastructure and power-theft case, with multiple federal bodies now involved in determining who organized the setup and how long it was operating.

Money laundering questions enter the case

Investigators may also review whether any digital assets generated at the facility were used to conceal illegal proceeds. The article says authorities are considering potential money laundering tied to cryptocurrency produced by the mine, though no conclusions have been announced.

The widening scope reflects broader concern that crypto-related operations can be used not only to consume stolen energy but also to move or disguise funds if they are connected to other criminal activity.

Part of a larger enforcement pattern

The Puebla case arrives against the backdrop of major electricity losses reported by the Federal Electricity Commission. Between January and July 2024, CFE recorded 6,346 GWh in losses with an estimated commercial value of 13.8 billion pesos, or about $817 million.

Authorities have also dismantled three other mining facilities between Puebla and Tlaxcala during 2025, according to the source report. The next confirmed step in the current case is the continued federal investigation into the Tlaola site and a review of whether comparable operations exist in surrounding municipalities.

Source: Coin Edition