Crypto mining crackdown in Spain: authorities dismantle a suspected operation after arresting a key figure, accused of electricity fraud dating back to 2021. A 30-year-old man was arrested in Salou and faces charges of belonging to a criminal organization and electricity fraud. The case highlights how illicit crypto mining can strain public grids and impact energy costs for communities, and authorities say the investigation is ongoing.
The probe began with a broader crackdown in 2022 on a drug trafficking and tobacco smuggling network operating in Tarragona and the Terres de l’Ebre region. Police intercepted eleven individuals involved in the drug trade and traced a man linked to the distribution network, laying the groundwork for subsequent investigations into related illicit activities.
In March 2023, investigators learned that the suspect had been running a clandestine facility in Ripollet where electricity consumption was unusually high. Checks on the site led to the conclusion that a cryptocurrency mining operation was in place, where the efficiency and capacity of computer hardware are central to turning a profit from digital currency.
On February 21, Mossos d’Esquadra and Guardia Civil officers executed a search at the facility. The operation resulted in the arrest of the primary suspect and the seizure of 85 computers that were connected fraudulently to the electrical grid, enabling the mining activity to go unnoticed for some time.
Officials noted that the detainee was responsible for maintaining the equipment and that an arrangement of shell companies had been used to divert the gains from cryptocurrency production. The suspect was brought before the court in Reus on February 23. Authorities emphasized that more detentions could follow as the inquiry continues,[Source: Mossos d’Esquadra; Guardia Civil].