On September 19, the law enforcement agencies of #Venezuela conducted a raid on Tokoron prison in the city of Maracay, confiscating several dozen #ASIC miners and a massive weapons cache. #France24 reported this operation.
The large-scale operation involved over 11,000 #police officers and soldiers, with support from tanks and armored vehicles. One special forces officer was killed.
The prison had been under the control of the country's largest gang, "Tren de Aragua," for several years, serving as their headquarters.
In addition to a room for cryptocurrency mining, the prison's premises included casinos, nightclubs, restaurants, a baseball field, and a zoo with exotic animals. Some of these animals perished in a fire that broke out during the raid. According to the Venezuelan Ministry of Interior, approximately 1,600 inmates were held in slavery by the gang leaders. After taking control of the prison, some managed to escape, while the rest were transferred to other correctional facilities.
Among the items confiscated, authorities displayed rocket launchers, sniper rifles, grenade launchers, explosives, machine gun belts, drugs, and expensive motorcycles. The "Tren de Aragua" gang consists of approximately 5,000 members and is known to be involved in criminal activities not only in Venezuela but also in Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, and Bolivia.
It is worth noting that in late June, the Malaysian electricity provider Sarawak Energy discovered a cryptocurrency mining farm on the island of Borneo whose owners were engaged in illegal #cryptocurrency mining.