As part of Operation Temis, eight alleged members of the organized armed group, GAO, Clan del Golfo were arrested in the department of Risaralda, in a joint operation conducted by Colombian National Army, the Police and the Attorney General's Office.
During the operation, it was possible to arrest alias Felipe and, by judicial order, alias Camilo, the main ringleader of this faction along with alias Mamita, alias P谩jaro, alias Pep贸n, alias la Diabla and alias Angy.
The inter-institutional intervention, in compliance with the Ayacucho Plus Campaign Plan, was led by troops of the 8th San Mateo Field Artillery Battalion and units of the 9th Urban Special Forces Battalion, in coordination with the Risaralda Police, through their groups COPES, the SELVA groups and the CTI (Technical Investigations Corps) of the department of Risaralda and the Prosecutor's Office. The operation took place by the municipalities of Bel茅n de Umbria and Mistrat贸.
Thanks to the work of military and police intelligence, sixteen search warrants were obtained hitting the focused criminal component of the Edwin Rom谩n Vel谩squez Substructure, which sought to expand its influence in the department.
This organized armed group would have taken control of drug trafficking in Bel茅n de Umbr铆a and Mistrat贸, through selective killings and intimidation of members of local criminal groups, with the aim of financing their criminal activities.
The operation led to contributing to the clarification of eleven homicides and three attempted homicides that occurred in the area, as well as the finding of three firearms of different calibers, ammunition, twenty-nine pairs of military boots, twenty-eight camouflaged uniforms, harnesses, assault backpacks and other garments to be used exclusively by the Military Forces.
The eight arrested were put into custody of the authority for prosecution for the alleged crimes of homicide, association to commit crimes, trafficking, manufacture or carrying of narcotics, and manufacture, trafficking, carrying or possession of firearms.
This result represents the most powerful blow against the GAO Clan del Golfo in Risaralda, thanks to the effective coordination conducted by Colombian National Army, the Police and the Prosecutor's Office, in defense of the security and tranquility of the Coffee Axis.
Source: Press - National Army
