Following a series of inspections in Kazakhstan, 106 mining enterprises have ceased operations, some of which were linked to prominent businessmen and former officials. This was said by the local Financial Monitoring Agency.
Fifty-five companies voluntarily halted operations, dismantled equipment, and removed it from their sites.
“Among them are firms affiliated with prominent businessmen Bolat Nazarbayev and Alexander Klebanov in Pavlodar Region, former chairman of the board of JSC National Company QazaqGaz Kayrat Sharipbayev in Aktobe Region, and the well-known businessman Erlan Nigmatulin in Karaganda Region,” the press service noted.
Another 51 companies were forcibly disconnected from the power supply. Business owners are suspected of illicit activity, tax and customs evasion, and unlawful placement of equipment on the territories of special economic zones.
Among the enterprises were those linked to well-known businessmen, as well as to former head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Department, Tlegen Matkenov.
In all, authorities opened 25 criminal cases over illegal mining and seized more than 67,000 units of equipment worth about 100 billion tenge ($192.9 million).
Earlier in February, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ordered a rise in the crypto mining tax and to identify all mining farms.
As part of the enforcement of the order, at the end of the month authorities seized 360 ASIC miners.
For more on why Kazakhstan risks losing its appeal as a jurisdiction for cryptocurrency mining, read ForkLog’s exclusive.
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