Kosovo Police Seize Crypto Mining Rigs

Kosovo police have confiscated 174 crypto mining devices in the predominantly Serb region of northern Kosovo, according to a report by the Turkish Anadolu Agency. The operation, which took place in Zubin Potok, was part of a crackdown on cryptocurrency mining led by the Albanian-led government in Pristina.

Economy Minister Artane Rizvanolli stated that the raids were conducted due to unpaid electricity bills, which she believes encourage illegal activities. Consumers in northern Kosovo, where the majority of the population is Serb, have not paid for electricity in over 20 years.

Belgrade has accused the crackdown of being an attempt to provoke Serbs and escalate tensions in the breakaway region. The Serbian government’s Office for Kosovo and Metohija pointed out that the raids took place on Good Friday, an important day for Orthodox Christians.

In January 2022, Pristina halted crypto mining across Kosovo due to the global energy crisis, and later renewed the ban in August. Hundreds of crypto mining machines were seized last year, and it has been reported that the total unpaid electricity and water bills in the four Serb-majority municipalities in northern Kosovo amount to over €300 million.