The largest illegal installation of Bitcoin miners in the country's history was discovered in Paraguay. Through a mega judicial operation, the Public Ministry and the National Electricity Administration (ANDE) detected around 3,000 machines that were operating with unauthorized energy consumption. The discovery of this farm, in the midst of the official offensive against illegal Bitcoin mining, was known yesterday afternoon. The site was only 2,500 from the central station of the ANDE of the Canindeyú Colonywhich feeds the supply of Guaira Falls and the region. The facilities were part of a private property from the well-known neighborhood of San Blas, according to an official statement. The mega-operation was in the hands of the tax agent Óscar Javier Paredes and officials from the regulatory body. In total, they identified 2,738 Bitcoin ASICs and five transformers with an installed power of 7150 kva. According to official estimated calculations, the monthly theft of energy would reach about 1,200 million guaraníes, equivalent to almost 160 thousand dollars. The complaint, signed by lawyer Alcides Porfirio Escurra Bianconi, was promoted by ANDE after detecting that there was a direct medium voltage connection with a high load in use. Despite the magnitude of the procedure, there were some peculiarities. The court order requested by criminal judge Guillermina González took at least 8 hours to prepare, after the incident was identified on Tuesday morning. The delay generates suspicions. In that waiting time, the Bitcoin miners would have removed some machines from the site. Several pieces of equipment were even scattered around the property and a truck was ready to take away the processors, something that ultimately did not happen. So far, those responsible for the machines have not been identified. Only one lawyer appeared, named Fernando Fleitaswho appeared on behalf of the miners under suspicion and presented the corresponding invoices for the equipment.
The government of Paraguay continues to search for clandestine farms for Bitcoin mining. Source: ABC.com.py. The mining equipment remains at the detected site, waiting for the military from the Paraguayan Joint Task Force (FTC) to mobilize to the site and proceed with the seizure. The result of the raid This is the most important discovery of illegal Bitcoin farms since the government of Paraguay began a crusade against cryptocurrency processing machines, given the economic losses caused by unauthorized energy consumption. The body that detects unauthorized Bitcoin mining farms, and that uses tools such as Artificial Intelligence, has seized more than 9,000 ASICs. As reported by BitcoinDynamic, the incidents that occur due to unpaid energy are due to the ease with which miners steal energy. But also due to the alleged complicity of ANDE and the judicial authorities. The engineer Nelson Cristaldo, a specialist in electrical energy and promoter of mining activity, warned that «it was always easy to steal» the electricity supply connection in Paraguay. Even the former Paraguayan deputy is involved in this pyramid of responsibilities. Michael Cuevaswho was the target of an ANDE operation for an alleged illegal cryptocurrency farm in a home he owned, located in the department of Paraguarí, in the south of the country.