Dagestan under attack: 52 illegal mining farms eliminated, damage to power grids exceeds 129 million rubles
A large-scale operation against shadow mining in Dagestan has yielded impressive results: since the beginning of 2026, 52 underground farms have been detected and neutralized, and 968 pieces of equipment for digital asset mining have been seized from circulation. This is not just a raid — it is a systemic blow to the economy of illegal crypto mining in the region.
By my calculations, the volume of stolen electricity that has been recorded reached approximately 2.7 million kWh. The republic's law enforcement agencies have already opened five criminal cases for energy resource theft, and one of them has already ended in a court verdict. The remaining materials are under investigation jointly with regional security forces.
Damage to grids exceeded 129 million rubles
The figures I see in the energy company's reports indicate the systemic nature of the problem. Specialists from the Dagenergo branch recorded 952 cases of non-contractual electricity consumption. The total volume of unmetered energy exceeded 20.1 million kWh, causing damage to the power grid complex of more than 129 million rubles. Notably, the share of mining in the total volume of thefts exceeds 13% — this is a serious signal for the industry.
Energy workers emphasize that electricity theft brings not only financial losses but also a direct security threat: voltage fluctuations damage household appliances, provoke technological failures, and create a fire risk. The main danger is the possibility of a fatal electric shock. For unauthorized connections, individuals face fines of up to 15 thousand rubles, and legal entities — up to 200 thousand rubles. In the event of a repeat violation, the amounts increase, and criminal liability for energy theft provides for up to two years of imprisonment.
Miners move to forests and apiaries
Dagestan remains one of the most problematic regions for underground mining. In June, energy workers eliminated a farm in the village of Maydanskoye, where 90 devices with a total capacity of about 315 kW, connected to the grids without a contract, were hidden under a false floor. Similar schemes operate throughout the country: in the forests of the Irkutsk district, police discovered 12 pieces of equipment camouflaged with netting and connected directly to a power line pole — the damage there exceeded 2.5 million rubles.
The imagination of violators knows no bounds. A resident of the Tyumen region discovered a crypto farm on her dacha plot, which she initially mistook for beehives due to the characteristic appearance of the enclosures. The regional police department is currently conducting a check on this matter.
The general logic is simple: the cost of electricity determines the profitability of mining, so underground operators look for connection points as far from metering as possible. Legal sites lose on cost. Energy workers continue joint raids with the police, and the number of detected facilities over less than eight months shows that the scale of the problem in the republic remains significant.
My expert view: Dagestan is just the tip of the iceberg. As long as the cost of electricity for the population and industry in different regions differs radically, and control over connections remains imperfect, shadow mining will migrate, just as the operators themselves migrate — from cities to forests and fields. The solution lies not only in criminal cases but also in creating transparent and economically attractive conditions for legal mining.