US border patrol continues to seize Bitcoin mining equipment: report

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is continuing its seizure of Bitcoin mining equipment at U.S. ports.

The ASIC miners are reportedly being detained at U.S. ports of entry at the request of the Federal Communications Commission. According to documents reviewed by Blockspace and sources familiar with the matter, the agency has expanded its detainment efforts to include MicroBT and Canaan units.

The latest seizures escalate CBP’s previous actions against Antminer S21 and T21 units, which were reportedly detained due to AI chips from trade-restricted supplier Sophgo. Now, the agency is also seizing Bitmain units for the first time since last fall.

One affected source reported losing $5 million worth of equipment. A CBP letter shared with Blockspace confirmed the seizure of Bitmain S21 Pro units at San Francisco International Airport on January 10, 2025, citing violations of U.S. code related to unauthorized and non-FCC-compliant radio frequency equipment.

Month-long delays

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, at the request of the Federal Communications Commission, has been detaining imports of Bitmain’s Antminer ASIC miners nationwide, causing up to two-month delays.

The delays have affected seven U.S.-based Bitcoin (BTC) mining companies. Detained models included the S21 and T21 series. 

CBP has not disclosed the reason for the holds or provided a timeline for resolution. The delays mainly impact West Coast ports like San Francisco and do not currently target MicroBT or Canaan units.