In a coordinated operation conducted by the Colombian Aerospace Force and the Colombian National Police on the Nech铆 River, municipality of El Bagre, Antioquia, it was possible to dismantle constructions used for illegal gold mining, an activity that not only finances the Organized Armed Group, GAO, Clan del Golfo, but in the same way generates serious environmental damage on this river and its tributaries in the Bajo Cauca region.
For the execution of this operation carried out in several phases, the air deployment of the Colombian Aerospace Force through different aircraft was fundamental, which led to carrying out coordinated high-impact maneuvers. These resources of the military operation were decisive and fundamental in the synergistic work with the Police, contributing to the success of the intervention in an area of difficult access and with a high presence of criminal structures.
As a result, 28 Brazilian dredge - type, 15 dredgers and 12 excavators used for illicit activity were destroyed; in addition, it was possible to find 900 grams of mercury, a highly polluting precursor used in the gold separation process.
According to estimates, the destroyed machinery had the capacity to produce about 70.3 kilograms of gold per month, generating illicit income of more than 28,450 million pesos in the Colombian market.
So the total value of the destroyed elements amounts to approximately more than 55 billion Colombian pesos, which shows both the environmental impact and the enormous economic scope of these illegal structures.
This operation reflects the impact and effectiveness of the inter-institutional work, focused not only on the fight against organized crime, but in the same way on the defense and protection of the environment and the comprehensive security of Bajo Cauca region in Antioquia.
Source: Colombian Aerospace Force - Public Communications Office CACOM 5
