Georgian authorities have seized 148 cryptocurrency mining devices in Mestia municipality, in what police describe as their first raid on illegal mining operations in the Svaneti highland district.
Officers checked six locations during the operation, removing equipment that investigators say consumed large volumes of electricity while bypassing regulatory and safety requirements. Officials have not published the names of individuals or companies linked to each site; the inquiry is continuing under standard enforcement procedures.
Why Mestia matters
Mestia sits in northwest Georgia, a tourism and trekking hub that has seen rising pressure on local power infrastructure. Illegal mining — often run from residential or commercial premises with unmetered or diverted supply — has been a recurring issue elsewhere in the country, particularly when energy prices rise or grid capacity is strained.
Police statements frame this case as part of broader efforts to enforce licensing, taxation and electrical safety rules rather than a ban on cryptocurrency itself. Georgia has hosted licensed data and mining activity in the past, but unauthorised setups that overload local networks have drawn repeated crackdowns in other regions.
For residents and visitors in Svaneti, the raid is unlikely to affect daily services, but it signals that remote municipalities are now within the scope of mining inspections. Further seizures or charges may follow as investigators review how the devices were installed and billed.
Official updates on the Mestia operation are expected through the Ministry of Internal Affairs channels as the case progresses.
