In a joint operation, the Twelfth Brigade of Colombian National Army, the Attorney General's Office and the Colombian Aerospace Force's No. 6 Air Combat Command dismantled an illegal mining complex on the Caquetá River, weakening the finances of the Residual Organized Armed Group, GAO-r, Raúl Reyes and protecting the natural resources of the Amazonas region.
In compliance with the Ayacucho Plus Joint Strategic Campaign Plan, troops of the Twelfth Brigade of Colombian National Army, in coordination with the Technical Investigation Corps of the Attorney General's Office and with the support of the No. 6 Air Combat Command of the Colombian Aerospace Force, executed a high-impact operation in the municipalities of Curillo and Solita, department of Caquetá, against the illicit exploitation of mining deposits.
Thanks to intelligence work carried out by the 34th Juanambú Infantry Battalion, it was possible to find and neutralize several illegal extraction points on the banks of the Caquetá River. At the site, troops destroyed 3 type 4 dredgers with their assemblies and a huge dredge for the illicit extraction of alluvial gold, machinery that dumped mercury and fuels into the tributary, generating a serious environmental and health risk for the river communities.
Simultaneously, 7 people were arrested in flagrante delicto: 3 in the municipality of Curillo and 4 in Solita. The detainees were put into custody of the Attorney General's Office for the crime of illegal exploitation of mining deposits, in accordance with to article 332 of the Criminal Code.
According to intelligence information, these activities were financed and directed by alias Miller or Negro Niche, head of finance of the GAO-r Raúl Reyes, who consolidated illegal mining as one of the main sources of income for the procurement of war materiel and the expansion of its criminal structure in the south of Caquetá and neighboring areas.
The impact of this operation transcends the judicial and the military: it directly hits the finances of the residual structure, protects biodiversity and mitigates environmental damage on the Caquetá River, one of the main tributaries of the Colombian Amazonas region.
Illegal mining generates devastating consequences: indiscriminate deforestation, mercury pollution, alteration of aquatic ecosystems and risks to the food security of peasant and indigenous communities. Experts warn that the recovery of these ecosystems may take decades and, in some cases, the damage is irreversible.
This result reflects the effective coordination conducted by the Military Forces and the Prosecutor's Office, which under the Ayacucho Plus Plan work in a sustained manner to weaken the illicit activities that finance the residual organized armed groups.
Colombian National Army reaffirms its commitment to the defense of the environment, the security of communities and the neutralization of the criminal structures that hit the department of Amazonas.
Finally, the Twelfth Brigade invites citizens to report any illegal activity that threatens regional tranquility and security, through the toll-free lines 147 of the Military Gaula (Anti-Extortion and Anti-Kidnapping Group) and 107.
Source: Press - National Army
