The illegally extracted fuel would be used by drug trafficking structures for the production of cocaine hydrochloride.
As part of the Ayacucho Plus Operations Plan, soldiers of the Medium Cavalry Group No. 5 General Hermógenes Maza found two illicit valves installed on the Caño Limón-Coveñas petroleum pipeline, in the vicinity of the village of Puerto Nuevo, a rural area of the municipality of Cúcuta, department of Norte de Santander.
The valves were used for the illicit extraction of fuels. After the finding, the troops provided security to the specialized technical personnel in charge of carrying out the removal of the illicit elements, as well as the sealing and repair of the affected pipes.
These illegal acts not only attack the strategic construction of the nation, but in the same way generate serious environmental impacts. The petroleum spills caused by clandestine valves pollute water sources, degrade soils and affect the ecosystems of the region.
This year, the soldiers of the Medium Cavalry Group No. 5 General Hermógenes Maza have dismantled three illicit valves used for petroleum extraction. According to the investigations, the fuel is transported rudimentarily to drug trafficking laboratories, where it is processed to obtain derivatives such as the so-called pategrillo, a substance used as fuel during the production of cocaine hydrochloride.
Source: National Army of Colombia
