Confiscation of Cryptocurrency Mining Machines in St. Petersburg
Authorities in St. Petersburg, Russia, recently confiscated an impressive haul of over 2,700 cryptocurrency mining machines from a facility that had been operating since 2018. According to media reports from RBC, the operators of this facility allegedly employed their technical expertise to alter electricity meter readings, enabling them to consume enormous amounts of power while reporting significantly lower usage.
Investigation and Arrests
Irina Volk, a representative from the Russian Interior Ministry, outlined that three individuals from St. Petersburg had originally signed an agreement to connect a commercial property to the electrical grid. However, by early this year, officials investigating the energy grid noticed suspicious spikes in electricity consumption from the site. Following a detailed investigation that involved monitoring discrepancies between the actual energy usage and the readings indicated by the meters, law enforcement took action.
A video released by the Interior Ministry on Telegram depicted officers carrying out the raid, which included dramatic footage of one individual being restrained as law enforcement pried open a locked shipping container using a crowbar. This container was filled with numerous operational mining rigs, alongside additional cooling mechanisms necessary for the operation of the machines.
Inspectors also discovered several more containers housing rows of mining rigs as well as various cooling equipment essential for cryptocurrency operations. Volk suggested that the facility’s operators were able to utilize their advanced technical skills to manipulate the electrical meter effectively, which resulted in the reporting of far lower power usage than actually consumed. The illicit cryptocurrency mining venture was reportedly active for more than seven years, from March 2018 until it was shut down in August 2025.
Consequences and Broader Implications
All confiscated mining units, along with two transformers and cooling devices, were seized during the operation. The trio managing the facility has been arrested and is facing charges for causing property damage through deception. Volk indicated that the investigation into potential accomplices continues, although the ministry has not disclosed the total amount of electricity stolen or the estimated financial cost of this theft, nor the specific cryptocurrencies being mined at the facility.
The incident highlights a growing trend of illegal cryptocurrency mining in Russia, as evidenced by a similar operation uncovered in mid-September in the Donetsk People’s Republic, where operators had bypassed electrical meters completely with 25 mining rigs directly connected to the grid, resulting in damages estimated at 14 million rubles (roughly $170,633). Regions like the North Caucasus and Southern Siberia have seen a spike in underground mining operations. Some miners have even resorted to mobile setups hidden within trucks and vans to evade scrutiny from energy companies, leading to increasing concerns for authorities regarding the rising prevalence of illicit mining activities across the region.
