Dagestan under attack: 52 illegal mining farms eliminated, damage to power grids exceeds 129 million rubles
A large-scale crackdown on the shadow cryptocurrency mining sector in Dagestan has yielded impressive results. Since the beginning of 2026, specialists from the energy company "Rosseti North Caucasus" have managed to detect and neutralize 52 illegal mining farms. During the raids, 968 units of digital asset mining equipment were seized, indicating the industrial scale of the underground business in the region.
In my assessment, these are not just isolated violations but a systemic problem that causes serious damage to both the republic's economy and its energy infrastructure. The total volume of stolen electricity documented exceeds 20.1 million kilowatt-hours. Moreover, mining accounts for more than 13% of all energy resource thefts — a colossal figure that cannot be ignored.
Criminal Cases and Unprecedented Damage
Five criminal cases have already been opened regarding electricity theft linked to the operation of underground farms. The court has issued one verdict, while the remaining cases are under investigation jointly with the republic's law enforcement agencies. The damage inflicted on the region's power grid complex is estimated at over 129 million rubles. These are direct losses that will burden honest consumers and the budget.
It is important to understand that electricity theft is not just an economic crime. It creates a real threat to people's lives and health: voltage fluctuations in the network disable household appliances, provoke technological disruptions, and cause fires. Unauthorized connection to the grid carries fines of up to 15 thousand rubles for individuals and up to 200 thousand for legal entities, and in particularly large amounts — criminal liability with imprisonment of up to two years.
Miners Go Underground: Forests, Apiaries, and False Floors
Dagestan remains one of the most problematic regions in terms of the scale of underground mining. Energy workers continue to find increasingly sophisticated methods of concealment. For example, in the village of Maydanskoye, a farm of 90 devices with a total capacity of about 315 kW was eliminated, hidden under a false floor and connected to the grid without a contract. Similar schemes operate across the country: in the Irkutsk region, police discovered 12 units of equipment disguised under netting in a forest area and connected directly to a power line pole. The damage there exceeded 2.5 million rubles.
Of particular note is a case in the Tyumen region, where a woman discovered a crypto farm disguised as beehives on her dacha plot. The distinctive appearance of the casings exposed the violators. The regional police department is currently reviewing this case. The logic of all these violators is simple: the cost of electricity determines the profitability of mining, so underground operators seek connection points away from metering. Legal sites lose on cost under such conditions.
The scale of the problem in Dagestan persists, and energy workers, together with the police, continue active raids. Eight months of struggle have shown that shadow mining cannot yet be completely eradicated.
My conclusion: As long as the difference between legal and illegal tariffs remains significant and control is not strict enough, underground miners will seek new loopholes. Regions need a comprehensive approach: stricter penalties, the implementation of remote monitoring systems, and, critically, the creation of attractive legal conditions for mining; otherwise, the fight against the shadow sector risks turning into an endless race.