Kosovo Police Confiscates Hundreds of Cryptocurrency Mining Machines

As a result of several police actions, the Kosovo authorities seized more than 300 cryptocurrency mining devices. According to the nation’s Minister of Energy and Economy, the seizure will save “tens of thousands of Euros per month.”

Kosovo’s Ban Intensifies

Similar to many other countries in Europe, Kosovo currently struggles with an energy crisis prompted by the sharp price increase of electricity. Attempting to curb consummation during the winter and eliminate power shortages, the government recently introduced a blanket ban on cryptocurrency mining.

Just a few days after the rule became live, local law enforcement agencies executed the first seizure. According to a recent announcement, Kosovo Police and Kosovo Customs conducted a joint operation, after which they confiscated 272 “Antminer” Bitcoin mining machines in the municipality of Leposavic.

During a separate action near the capital Prishtina, the authorities seized further 39 cryptocurrency mining devices, 35 of which were functioning at the time.

Meanwhile, the police also stopped a vehicle carrying banned equipment near the village of Druar. The driver allegedly hid six crypto mining machines and 42 graphics cards (GPUs) in the back of his car.

Artane Rizvanolli – Kosovo’s Economy and Energy Minister – highlighted the police actions. Per her calculations, the confiscations will save “tens of thousands of Euros per month of taxpayers’ money,” which equals energy intended for hundreds of Kosovar families during the crisis.

Iran Enforced The Same Rules

Another country that introduced a temporary ban on cryptocurrency mining is Iran. Similar to Kosovo, the officials explained their decision with the rising electricity consumption during the coldest months of the year.

Interestingly, the Iranian government enforced the same legislation during the summer, too. Between June and September last year, when temperatures usually hover around 30-35°C (95°F), crypto mining was forbidden as the officials were strictly monitoring whether miners abide by the rules.

During an operation at the beginning of the summer, the police confiscated 7,000 bitcoin mining rigs hidden in an abandoned factory in the capital Tehran. The seizure was the largest ever carried out by the local authorities. Prior to that, back in January 2021, the government seized nearly 1,500 cryptocurrency mining devices.