1500 grams of gold per month, with an estimated commercial price of $702,000,000, were extracted by criminals of the Guali River basin.
As part of operations against illegal mining, soldiers of the 16th Patriotas Infantry Battalion of the Sixth Brigade, in coordination with the National Police and Cortolima, arrested four people in the village of San Antonio in the municipality of Mariquita.
Those arrested were illegally exploiting the Guali River basin, on the border between the municipalities of Mariquita and Honda, generating serious environmental damage.
During the operation, a mining production unit (UPM) valued at approximately $100,000,000 was intervened, with a production capacity of close to 1500 grams of gold per month.
The following items were seized in the procedure:
* A suction dredger made of a black motor and a suction pump.
• Two 4-inch hoses of about 4 meters each.
• A metal sorting machine with a mat.
* Four 55-gallon plastic barrels.
• A metal structure
Those arrested and the confiscated items were put into custody of the authority for the crime of illegal exploitation of mining deposits.
This result of the military operation of the soldiers of the Sixth Brigade significantly contributes to the protection of the ecosystem and the weakening of illicit activities in the region.
We invite citizens to report this type of environmental crimes through lines 147 of the Tolima Military Gaula (Anti-Extortion and Anti-Kidnapping Group) and 107 anti-terrorism line.
Source: National Army - Fifth Division
