"You pay or we'll kill them": The specialized military unit against extortion and kidnapping in Cauca, thwarted a violent extortion attempt where criminals threatened to murder two civilians if they did not hand over $18 million COP. The rapid military operation thwarted this cruel crime.
In an operation that combined military intelligence, the timely denunciation of the people and the tactical response of the Cauca Military Gaula (Anti-Extortion and Anti-Kidnapping Group), it was possible to rescue two citizens, who suffered terrifying death threats by the residual organized armed group Structura Jaime Martínez.
The victims, tricked into a fake construction job offer, were kidnapped and their families received criminal calls with an ultimatum: "If you don't pay $18 million in hours, we will execute them." The timely alert call to line 147 led to the immediate deployment of the Cauca Military GAULA (ANTI-EXTORTION AND ANTI-KIDNAPPING GROUP) units, who immediately arrived at the city of Popayán in the department of Cauca, finding the victims, and rescuing them, thus thwarting these extortion actions. The criminals, identified as part of this armed group, kept the relatives in fear with shouts and explicit intimidation, describing how they would physically harm the victims if they did not agree to the payment.
"We heard how they were beating my brother on the phone while cursing at us. It was a nightmare," said one of those beaten under the reservation of identity, while the military units rescued and recovered the victims, safe and sound, who confirmed to have been threatened with knives and firearms.
"They told us we were cannon fodder if we didn't pay," one of the rescued revealed. The Military Gaula (Anti-Extortion and Anti-Kidnapping Group) Command, together with the Twenty-Ninth Brigade of Colombian National Army, ratifies its commitment to the security of the inhabitants of Cauca and invites people to report any case of extortion or kidnapping to the toll-free line 147.
#EnDefensaPorLaLibertadPersonal
Source: Press - National Army
