Officers of the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Regional Police Department have launched an investigation into violations of energy resource consumption rules in the Mestia municipality and seized 148 so-called “miners,” according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
The specialized cryptocurrency mining devices were discovered at six different locations across the Mestia municipality.
“The investigation established that local residents systematically generated digital currency using these devices and obtained illegal income, consuming large volumes of electricity in an illegal and unlawful manner.
During the searches, law enforcement officers seized a large amount of specialized technical equipment as physical evidence. Active investigative measures are ongoing to identify other individuals involved in the crime.
The investigation is being conducted under Article 229 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which carries a penalty of up to three years in prison,” the Ministry of Internal Affairs stated.