Units of the Colombian Navy, belonging to the Southern Naval Force, found three rudimentary dredges with which crimes against the environment, related to the illegal exploitation of mining deposits and other materials, were apparently committed in waters of the Putumayo River, in the Amazonas department.
The operation was carried out thanks to the control and surveillance work carried out by the Naval Institution in the river arteries of the Colombian Amazon region, which, on this occasion, led to the determination that illegal mining was being carried out in the sector known as Remo Ceiba.
The south-eastern region of the country has been directly hit by the illicit exploitation of minerals such as gold and coltan, which, due to the use of mercury for the extraction of these minerals, contaminates the rivers, damaging indigenous communities and the flora and endemic fauna of the region.
During the operation, no arrests were made.
The materials were put into custody of the authority.
The Colombian Navy ratifies its commitment to the conservation of the ecosystem and will continue to carried out search and fluvial control operations on the rivers of the Colombian Amazon in order to deny this fluvial space to criminal groups, while inviting the community to denounce criminal organizations at the service of illegal mining that cause irreparable damage to the environment.
Source: press - Colombian Navy
