* 1.2 million doses of cocaine hydrochloride and 585 million pesos in cash were found by troops in Arauca, border area with Venezuela.
* The cost of illegal merchandise would exceed 16 million dollars in the international illegal market.
* This shipment would belong to drug traffickers associated with the Residual Organized Armed Group Segunda Marquetalia
About half a ton of cocaine hydrochloride, 585 million pesos in cash and communication equipment including radios, antennas and satellite phones, were found by troops of the Colombian Navy with the support of the Colombian Air Force, the National Army and the Attorney General's Office, in the department of Arauca, approximately one kilometer from the border with Venezuela. During the military operation two individuals, a Colombian and a Venezuelan, were arrested.
The facts took place in the sector known as Sabanas de la Esmeralda, a rural area of the municipality of Cravo Norte to the south of the department of Arauca on the borders with Vichada, where according to the information collected and provided by naval intelligence criminal organizations at the service of drug trafficking would be using the rural roads of this area to evade the authorities, with the purpose of transporting narcotics, weapons and cash.
At the scene, the occupants of two campero-type vehicles that were traveling through the sector, noticing the existence of the authorities, fled. Due to this evasive action, the Colombian Navy troops immediately activated an operation that led military personnel to stop the cars and arrest two individuals.
When the vehicles were searched, 17 sacks were found by troops with 500 rectangular packages inside, as well as a backpack with plenty of cash, a hand-made shotgun-type weapon and various communication equipment such as radios, satellite phones, antennas, chargers, batteries, among other items.
The hallucinogen, along with the cash, the arrested personnel and the rest of the material found, were put into custody of the CTI (Technical Investigations Corps) and taken on board an Air Force aircraft to Puerto Carre帽o - Vichada, where the corresponding technical tests were carried out to confirm that they were 498.7 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride and 585 million Colombian pesos.
Source: Press - Navy of Colombia
