The arrested individual, for more than 22 years, was a member of the Eastern Bloc of the former Farc and since 2018 was part of the residual organized armed group, GAO-r, Group 16 that commits crimes in the Department of Vichada and seeks to expand its criminal operation to the Department of Meta, to extend its drug trafficking routes to other regions of the country.
In the course of a joint, coordinated and inter-agency operation, the National Army, the Colombian Air Force, the SIJIN (judicial police) of the Vichada police, and the Attorney General's office, in the urban area of the municipality of Mesetas, Meta, arrested the individual known as Caliche, member of the residual GAO, Group 16.
Alias Caliche identified herself as bodyguard of a private security company and supported the protection plans of several former combatants. He used this activity as a front to be able to move and hide his criminal operation and evade the arrest order against him.
This arrest was carried out, when alias Caliche was traveling in a van-type vehicle, accompanying a protected person in the municipality of Mesetas, Meta. At the scene, a 9 mm caliber gun, 18 9 mm caliber cartridges, two metal magazines and a cell phone were seized.
The military operation was carried out in development of the Bicentenary Campaign Plan Heroes de la Libertad, Operation José María Córdova, focused on fighting the GAO-R.
The arrested individual and the material found were put into custody of the prosecutor's Office 186 specialized against the criminal organizations DECOC, for the alleged crimes of association to commit aggravated crimes for the purposes of narcotrafficking, forced disappearance, extortion and trafficking of firearms or ammunition. The arrested individual did not accept the charges and must comply with an insurance measure in the prison.
According to investigations, this individual extorted traders who transport their products through the Vichada River and charged “Fees” on people who transport narcotics through water sources in this region of the country. He is in the same way involved in homicide cases and a case of forced disappearance.
Source: Press-National Army
