Mexican law enforcement discovered a cryptocurrency mining farm operating in a remote jungle location in Puebla's Sierra Norte mountains. The facility contained 300 GPU mining machines and was illegally connected to the Nuevo Necaxa hydroelectric grid, according to reporting by Reuters.
Residents of the municipality of Tlaola first alerted authorities after noticing unusual mechanical noises and an unexplained surge in local electricity demand. Police located the operation approximately two miles from the nearest village, accessible only by a difficult gravel road.
The mining site was equipped with enterprise-grade infrastructure, including a custom pedestal transformer and eight satellite internet antennas. Officials working on the case did not confirm organized crime involvement, though analysts suggested the sophistication of the operation indicated cartels may have adopted more advanced techniques for illicit activities.
This marks the fourth hidden mining operation discovered in the Tlaola region of Sierra Norte since the beginning of 2025. The mountainous terrain and sparse policing in the jungle area have made the region conducive to illegal electricity theft for crypto mining purposes.
Similar patterns of illegal mining operations have been reported in Thailand, Malaysia, Russia, Iran, China, and Paraguay, where criminals tap into local power infrastructure to operate mining facilities.
