Paraguay's Bitcoin mining crackdown has reached a new milestone. The country has seized over 10,000 ASIC miners this year. This puts it on par with Venezuela's recent enforcement efforts.
The National Electricity Administration (ANDE) has conducted more than 70 raids. These targeted suspected Bitcoin mining farms across Paraguay.
Venezuela's crackdown is part of a broader anti-corruption drive. Paraguay's focus is different. It aims to stabilize power grids at risk of overload.
The latest raid in Ciudad del Este nabbed 450 ASIC rigs. They weren't plugged in. The machines were stashed in a warehouse in Hernandarias, Alto Paraná.
ANDE called it a "storage site for crypto farm equipment." Prosecutors think the gear might be from a nearby facility in Santa Mónica.
This case may be linked to a previous "failed" raid. Miners allegedly cleared out an illegal farm before investigators arrived.
Hernandarias is becoming a hotspot for illicit mining. Authorities have filed 20 criminal cases there this year alone.
Bitcoin mining is a hot-button issue in Paraguay. The country is known for its hydroelectric power surplus.
Some reckon mining could boost Paraguay's economy. Currently, the nation offloads excess power to neighbors on the cheap.
A new industry group is pushing back against higher energy rates for miners. They claim it could "kill off" the sector and cost Paraguay $1.5 billion and hundreds of jobs.