Employees of the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as a result of searches conducted in the Mestia municipality, seized additional 76 mining devices as evidence, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reports.

According to the agency, as part of the investigation into energy resource use violations, law enforcement officers have seized a total of 330 mining devices.

"The investigation establishes that, through the use of these devices, locals were systematically generating digital currency and receiving illegal income by illegally and unlawfully consuming a large amount of electricity.

Law enforcement officers are continuing their intensive investigative activities in order to identify other persons involved in the crime and take appropriate legal measures against them.

The investigation is being conducted under Article 229, Part 2, Subparagraph "b" of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which provides for imprisonment for a term of up to 3 years," reads the information.