In the last ten months, the Angolan authorities have dismantled 41 clandestine cryptocurrency mining sites across the country and detained at least 100 people, mostly Chinese, the Criminal Investigation Service (SIC) said on Monday.
The most recent case was publicised today by the SIC, involving the seizure in Luanda of eight containers of cryptocurrency mining equipment, discovered in Kilamba, valued at almost US$17 million (€15.2 million).
According to SIC spokesman Manuel Halaiwa, the 10-hectare site belongs to a Chinese national who is on the run.
Speaking to the press, Manuel Halaiwa said that the seized materials, both used and new, totalled around 17,000 ‘panda mining’ processors, valued between US$1,000 ( €895.6) for the old ones and US$1,400 (€1,253) for the new ones.
“If we look at what has been the logic of cryptocurrency mining centres, the material that is here could be used to install around eight cryptocurrency mining centres, the size of the last one we dismantled,” he said.
Manuel Halaiwa stressed that, presumably, the intention was to set up a large-scale mining centre there.
The SIC spokesman pointed out that, as the SIC has stepped up the fight against this illegal activity, those involved have been looking for less suspicious locations, letting ‘the current pressure pass’ and, in due course, setting up a high-volume centre there.
According to Manuel Halaiwa, cryptocurrency mining ‘is super lucrative’ and, if this centre were to operate, the monthly income would be around US$17 million (€15.2 million), calculating that each processor “can mine between US$35 (€31.3) and US$37 (€33.1) each day”.
He emphasised that the Angolan state has criminalised this activity, in legislation that came into force in April 2024, in order to safeguard its electrical and financial systems, for the crimes underlying this matter, calling for these cases to be reported.
Manuel Halaiwa emphasised that, since April 2024, 41 clandestine cryptocurrency mining sites have been dismantled across the country, with more than 100 detainees of Chinese nationality and some Angolans involved in guarding and protecting these infrastructures.
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