Mexican Cartels Unleash Mining Powerhouses in Remote Terrain

A recent raid in Mexico's Puebla state has uncovered another illicit crypto mining operation. The discovery, which comes after three similar operations were found near the same hydroelectric dam since early last year, sheds light on a growing trend in Latin America: organized crime groups using cryptocurrency and electricity theft for money laundering.

The authorities seized 300 GPUs, 80 medium-voltage terminals, and eight satellite antennas from the clandestine computer farm. Investigators are examining whether the mining rig was drawing stolen power from a nearby hydroelectric dam or paying for it through legitimate channels. The case adds to a pattern of organized crime groups moving beyond traditional activities like drug trafficking and extortion into financial crimes tied to digital assets.

According to Chainalysis, illicit cryptocurrency transactions worldwide more than doubled in 2025, with an estimated $154 billion in transactions linked to criminal activity, up from $59 billion the prior year. This trend is attributed to sanctions evasion, including payments tied to sanctioned governments. The firm's Latin American specialist notes that as legitimate crypto adoption grows worldwide, organized crime in the region is riding the same wave for different purposes.

Illicit crypto operations are not isolated to Mexico; similar raids have taken place in Brazil, the United States, and Southeast Asia. Law enforcement agencies are becoming more equipped to fight organized crime using cryptocurrency, but the combination of near-zero operating costs and a laundering channel that doesn’t require moving physical cash across borders is likely to keep drawing organized crime toward mining rigs tucked into remote terrain.