Brazilian police arrested a man for operating an illegal drug laboratory and using Bitcoin (BTC) to launder the proceeds, according to a report last week.

The State Department of Drug Trafficking (Denarc) in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, reportedly found a bitcoin mining laboratory in a small house while chasing a drug trafficker on April 23.

At the site, the police discovered 25 digital currency mining machines, running 24/7, along with various “sophisticated” software and hardware, with a total estimate of over 250,000 reals ($63,000).

The man responsible for the equipment defended himself by claiming that “he rented the space and was mining bitcoin as an investment — which is not abnormal.”  The suspect was then fined for illegal use of electric power in the house.

Last month, The Manhattan, US authorities arrested a criminal group and charged them with drugs dealing and laundering millions worth of Bitcoin (BTC)

A United States federal jury convicted two cybercriminals for stealing credit card credentials and illicitly mining cryptocurrency, reported by the Crypto Sight on April 1.