Police have seized 148 so-called crypto mining devices in Mestia municipality during an operation targeting illegal electricity consumption, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia says.
The devices were discovered in six locations, where authorities allege locals were systematically producing digital currency and generating illegal income through the unauthorised use of large volumes of electricity.
The case is being investigated under Article 229, Part 2, Subparagraph “b” of the Criminal Code, which concerns violations of electricity use rules involving risks to human life or health. The offence carries a penalty of up to three years in prison.
Vice Prime Minister Mamuka Mdinaradze said earlier this week that a large-scale electricity metering operation will be launched across Mestia municipality to identify illegal and hidden consumption linked to crypto mining activity.
He said electricity use in Mestia reached 133 million kilowatt-hours in 2025, compared to around 10 million in similar municipalities, estimating the resulting damage at GEL 20–25 million. He also said the issue places an additional burden on consumers nationwide, increasing bills by about GEL 1.5 per subscriber.
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Mdinaradze announces large-scale metering in Mestia to curb crypto mining
