The Abkhaz authorities will destroy mining equipment

The work of the headquarters aimed at combating illegal electricity consumption and cryptocurrency mining in Abkhazia will continue, Acting Prime Minister of Abkhazia Vladimir Delba said on March 20 at a meeting of the headquarters for energy security.

Acting First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Energy and Transport Jansukh Nanba reported that 2,059 pieces of equipment for cryptocurrency mining were identified in 2024. In 2025, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 93 devices were seized.

"Of course, there are results, but the data that we see on electricity consumption suggests that the facts of cryptocurrency mining in our country are still available. We need to intensify the fight," said Nanba.

He also said that the average daily volume of electricity consumption has recently decreased from 10 million kWh to 5.5 million kWh.

"First of all, this is due to an increase in air temperature — people stop using additional equipment to heat the premises," Nanba said.

The Ministry of Energy and Transport, together with the State Standard, has developed a draft law amending Article 212 of the Code The Republic of Armenia on judicial proceedings in cases of administrative offenses and in accordance with the established procedure. He has already been sent to parliament.

"The essence of the proposed change is as follows: the relevant authorized bodies will have the opportunity, if the court decides to confiscate the equipment that was used to mine cryptocurrencies, to destroy it in the prescribed manner," said Nanba.

Now the equipment is being accumulated and stored in warehouses.

The First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Abkhazia Ruslan Azhiba said that from November 6, 2024 to the present, 423 devices and 19 video cards have been identified and seized. During the raid measures, 382 objects were checked. From January 10, 2025 to the present day, police officers have checked 146 objects (130 in Sukhum, 13 — in Gagra, 2 — in the Galsky district) and identified 93 devices.

Customs officers have seized six devices for mining cryptocurrencies over the past two weeks, said Deputy chairman of the State Customs Committee Zurab Ashuba.

Since the beginning of the work of the anti-mining headquarters in December 2024, customs officers have seized 269 pieces of mining equipment, Ashuba said.

The Acting Prime Minister asked what is the collection rate for the consumed electricity.

The percentage of collection of electricity charges for January and February 2025 was only 26.6%, said Jansukh Nanba. The total volume of collection of electricity charges in 2024 amounted to 48.4%.

Vladimir Delba noted that everyone is responsible for what is happening in the electric power industry.

"Kindergartens, hospitals, and other social facilities pay for everything that happens. We inflict enormous damage on ourselves and our state. We all know the price for one kilowatt of electricity when we purchase it from Of the Russian Federation," Delba said.