Federal prosecutors in Mexico, the Navy, and Puebla state police seized 300 crypto mining machines from a property in Tlaola after discovering the operation was illegally drawing electricity directly from a federal hydroelectric complex, according to the state security ministry.
The property, situated in the Sierra Norte region of Puebla in a municipality of approximately 20,000 residents, contained GPU mining equipment along with transformers, medium-voltage terminals, and satellite internet antennas. The specific cryptocurrency being mined has not been confirmed by authorities.
The seizure was announced on September 6 by the Secretaría de Seguridad Pública, which coordinated the operation with the federal Attorney General's office and the Navy. State security minister Francisco Sánchez told reporters that the site's remote location and the distinctive noise generated by mining operations drew investigator attention.
"Mining consumes a great deal of energy and generates a lot of noise, which is why operators seek out isolated and very remote locations. That is what alerted us," Sánchez said.
Investigators received a tip based on the property's proximity to the Nuevo Necaxa dam, where authorities had been investigating illegal mining reports. The site featured a large power connection directly to the hydroelectric infrastructure.
Sánchez characterized the Tlaola operation as one node in a broader network exploiting the Sierra Norte's hydroelectric resources. Similar activity has been detected in neighboring states, with searches expanding to nearby municipalities.
Forensic accountants are attempting to determine who funded the equipment, while state investigators are examining whether mined cryptocurrency was used to launder criminal proceeds. Mexican authorities have seized three other mining operations in Puebla and neighboring Tlaxcala in 2025.
