Russian police found a truck stealing electricity for illegal cryptocurrency mining in the Baikal region

PANews reported on June 15 that according to TASS, authorities of the Republic of Buryatia (one of the autonomous republics of the Russian Federation) found 95 mining equipment and a substation capable of supplying electricity to small settlements on a Kamaz truck during a routine power line inspection in the Lake Baikal region. At the same time, two unidentified persons (suspected to be truck drivers) fled the scene in an SUV. Buryat Energy Company emphasized that illegal connections have led to a decline in the quality of power supply to local residents, with the risk of voltage surges, overloads, and grid outages.

This is already the sixth case of electricity theft using mining equipment discovered in the Republic of Buryatia since the beginning of the year. Due to energy shortages, mining was officially banned from November 15 to March 15 in all regions of the republic except for the North Baikalsky and Muysky regions. During the remaining period, only companies registered in a special registry can mine.