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Catalonia Police Seize Illegal Bitcoin Mining Farm with €860,643 in Stolen Electricity

Authorities in Catalonia uncovered 88 ASIC miners illegally connected to a high-voltage grid, marking a significant crackdown on crypto mining fraud.

BTC

Summary

Catalonia police seized an illegal Bitcoin mining farm in Sant Vicenç de Castellet, discovering 88 ASIC miners linked to a high-voltage grid. The operation led to €860,643 in stolen electricity, making it one of the region’s largest industrial fraud cases of the year. A 34-year-old suspect was investigated for electricity theft, with a court appearance on March 3. The investigation began in October 2025, signaling increasing efforts to combat unauthorized crypto mining.

Terms & Concepts
  • ASIC miner: An application-specific integrated circuit device optimized for efficiently performing Bitcoin mining calculations.
  • Bitcoin mining: The process of validating Bitcoin transactions and adding them to the blockchain by solving complex cryptographic puzzles.
  • High‑voltage power grid: A large‑scale electrical distribution network used for industrial energy supply, distinct from regular consumer‑level connections.