Security forces in the neighborhood of Chiva, on the outskirts of Huambo, halted an illegal cryptocurrency mining operation led by two Chinese nationals, ANGOP reports.
In a statement to the press, sub-inspector Abel Kangombe, spokesperson for the Criminal Investigation Service (SIC) in Huambo, revealed that the suspects had been conducting these illicit activities since last year in disguised facilities.
Kangombe explained that the virtual currencies were produced in workshops, party venues, and milling industries, making the mining sites difficult to identify.
The operation utilized five Electric Energy Transformation Stations (PT), each with an estimated capacity of two thousand KVA, supporting four ships equipped with electronic and computing devices.
The suspects reportedly destroyed over ten thousand computers to erase data and information on virtual transfers, which circumvented legal banking processes.
The electricity for the mining operation was sourced from the Chiva substation, located 300 meters from the mining site.
After processing virtual transactions, the computers were destroyed to eliminate crucial data for the investigation.
The owner of the rented infrastructure had been misled about the project’s purpose, being told it involved installing signal repeater antennas for the operator Africell and a milling industry to promote social and economic development.
Kangombe urged the public to continue reporting any suspicious activities to combat criminal actions effectively.
Although no arrests have been made, the investigation is ongoing to uncover the full extent of this operation, marking the first case of its kind in Huambo.
Cryptocurrencies are digital assets typically not regulated by any government.
