During three weeks, the military authorities found and destroyed 18 laboratories for the production of coca paste, apparently belonging to the residual Organized Armed Groups in the south-east of the country.
Units of the Navy of Colombia in combined operations with the anti-Drug Directorate of Peru, jointly with the National Army, coordinate with the National Police and inter-agency with the office of the Prosecutor General of the Nation, achieved the finding and subsequent destruction of 18 illegal infrastructures for the production of base paste of coca, a laboratory of cocaine hydrochloride, three illegal hiding places of supplies; 14 people were arrested, including eight alleged members of the FARC dissidents and six individuals belonging to common crime groups.
Troops attached to the Navy Infantry Brigade No.3, found 18 laboratories for the production of coca base paste, in the departments of Caquetá, Guaviare, Meta and Putumayo, finding inside 1,216 kilograms of solid precursors, 4,258 gallons of liquid precursors, 9,808 kilograms of chopped coca leaf, 180 gallons of coca base in process and 29 kilograms of coca base, in addition to machinery and equipment. In addition, three illegal hideouts that stored 6,377 gallons of liquid supplies and 135 kilograms of solid supplies that were used for the manufacture of narcotics, were found by troops.
As a result of these operations, in the Vista Hermosa village of the municipality of La Macarena, Meta, units of the River Navy Infantry Battalion No. 32 found a hydrochloride cocaine laboratory that had the capacity to produce about 50 kilograms per month of coca base paste. Inside the structure, 15 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride were found by troops and eight alleged members of the FARC dissidents, who were carrying out activities related to the production of the narcotic, were arrested. The individuals were put into custody of the authorities for the crime of carrying, trafficking or manufacture of narcotic drugs.
Source: Press - Navy of Colombia
