Mexican authorities have uncovered a clandestine cryptocurrency mining operation in the Sierra Norte mountains of Puebla, the fourth such site found in the area since early 2025, as investigators examine possible links between crypto infrastructure, electricity theft and organized crime.
The facility near Tlaola contained 300 graphics processing units, 80 medium-voltage terminals and eight satellite antennas. Its electricity consumption was far above what would normally be expected in the surrounding sparsely populated communities. Authorities are investigating whether the operation illegally drew power from infrastructure connected to a nearby hydroelectric dam.
The site is suspected of being used to generate cryptocurrency as part of a money-laundering operation, but investigators have not publicly established that a specific cartel owned or operated it. Mexico’s federal attorney’s office declined to provide details while the investigation remains active.
The economics make illicit mining attractive when electricity can be obtained cheaply or stolen. Power is one of cryptocurrency mining’s largest operating costs, meaning unauthorized access to energy infrastructure can dramatically improve profitability.
The discovery also fits a wider shift in organized financial crime. Chainalysis estimates that cryptocurrency addresses linked to illicit activity received $154 billion in 2025, more than double the previous year’s figure, although much of that increase was associated with sanctions evasion rather than cartel activity specifically.