Once again troops prevented two backhoes from reaching the municipality of Ataco, for the illegal extraction of gold.
Thanks to a military checkpoint on the road leading to the municipality of Guamo and in Chaparral, south of the department of Tolima, the 18th Infantry Battalion Coronel Jaime Rooke and the 17th Infantry Battalion General Domingo Caicedo, of the Sixth Brigade, in coordination with the National Police, stop two trucks, each with a backhoe bound for the municipality of Ataco.
It should be noted that the seizures of these yellow machines have been made in response to the regulations issued by the Government, through Decree 0067 of 2026, which seeks to restrict the transit of yellow machinery on secondary roads in the department of Tolima.
These two yellow machines have an approximate cost of 2000 million pesos, and they were going to end up hitting the water sources for the illegal extraction of gold.
These heavy-duty vehicles were put into custody of the authority for their respective procedure.
FACTS
For 3 days, the soldiers of the Sixth Brigade have confiscated 4 containers platforms and 4 backhoes for a cost of more than 4000 million pesos.
This result of the military operation contributes to the protection of the environment, which has been hit by the excessive illegal exploitation of mining deposits in the municipality of Ataco.
Source: Press Sixth Brigade of Colombian National Army
