Mexico’s discovery of a clandestine crypto-mining farm highlights how organised criminal groups are increasingly using cryptocurrency mining, transfers and laundering networks to expand their illicit operations.
The lush green mountains of Central Mexico were a part of an extensive cover, but the constant mechanical whirring gave it away. A clandestine cryptocurrency farm came under the police radar due to its excessive power consumption that was necessary to cool hundreds of specialized computing units, at levels far surpassing the needs of small communities scattered around the same area.
Crypto mining often uses powerful computers to generate virtual assets such as Bitcoin, representing a new frontier in Mexico’s fight against…
