Venezuelan authorities also seized unlikely technology from criminals in a prison raid this week, among rocket launchers, grenades and bullets. bitcoin mining machine.
On Wednesday, 11,000 troops stormed the Tocolon prison in Aragua state in an operation to crack down on the South American country’s most powerful organized crime group. according to In response to official government statements.
Weapons were found during the mission, but authorities also captured Bitcoin miners, AFP report Thursday. A video posted on Twitter showed a building filled with machines.
“It was a successful operation, as we were able to deal a blow to the criminal organization,” Interior and Justice Minister Remigio Ceballos said, according to the news agency.
The prison, which had been run by criminals for many years, had facilities such as a swimming pool and a mini-zoo. Venezuela’s prisons are Famous for being crowded and dangerous.
Wednesday’s operation was the first time Venezuelan authorities have targeted Torren de Aragua, which is feared to be involved in everything from drug and human trafficking to extortion in its home country and elsewhere. .
Mining machines are used to mint new coins and keep the Bitcoin blockchain secure.
Those involved in energy-intensive processes will need to use large amounts of electricity, but will be rewarded with new cryptocurrencies, making this endeavor potentially very lucrative. Coin Metrics report earlier this year Indicated Bitcoin miners reportedly earned a total of $184 million from transaction fees between April and June alone.
Wednesday’s raid is not the first time criminals suspected of minting cryptocurrencies have been arrested in Latin America: The discovery comes just two weeks after Chilean police found A Bitcoin mining operation was operating in a drug trafficking organization in Santiago.
