Bitcoin Mining Rigs Seized in Venezuelan Prison During Weapons Raid

An extraordinary police raid in a Venezuelan prison not only led to the confiscation of illegal weapons but also an unexpected find: Bitcoin mining machines.

Venezuelan military officer Domingo Hernández Lárez confirmed the event in a recent statement.

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Conducted on September 20th, the operation saw an impressive force of 11,000 police workers and soldiers descend on Tocoro prison, which is under the control of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang.

Additional details surfaced the following day through the Agence France-Presse (AFP), which reported that the authorities seized various weapons and, surprisingly, Bitcoin mining rigs. 

Authorities revealed that they seized Bitcoin machines, sniper rifles, explosives, rocket launchers and grenades at the scene.

A leaked video from the Tocoro prison depicted a room packed with Bitcoin mining machines.

This comes on the heels of another recent incident in Chile, where law enforcement discovered 19 Bitcoin miners during a raid on a residence suspected to be linked to drug trafficking, as reported by local media outlet El Mostrador.

The seizure of Bitcoin mining machines in a Venezuelan prison raid adds another dimension to the ongoing discussion about cryptocurrency and illegal activities. While the confiscation of weapons was anticipated, the discovery of an in-prison Bitcoin mining operation has added a novel, if unsettling, twist to the unfolding story.