The detention involved officers of the department for combating organized criminal groups of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Penza region. Police officers in the city of Kuznetsk discovered five garages in which mining equipment was installed. To pay less for electricity, underground cryptocurrency miners have modified their meters.
From January 2022 through May 2023, the detainees’ devices illegally consumed more than 243,000 kWh, law enforcement officials say. The amount of damage caused to the resource supplying organization exceeded 250000 rubles. Police seized 19 devices for mining cryptocurrencies, 12 electricity meters and several devices for modifying meters.
The Penza Region Ministry of Internal Affairs opened a case under paragraph “a” of part 2 of article 165 of the Russian Criminal Code (Causing property damage on a large scale by prior conspiracy). The underground miners face up to five years in prison.
Previously, Bits.Media published an article about illegal mining in Russia.