The operation led to the arrest in flagrante delicto of six people and the finding of machinery used for the illegal extraction of alluvial gold.
Within the framework of the inter-institutional operations against crimes that disturb natural resources and illicit activities, soldiers of the Rapid Deployment Battalion N.° 13, of the Rapid Deployment Force N.° 5, in support of the Sixth Brigade of Colombian National Army, in coordination with the National Police, the Colombian Aerospace Force and Cortolima, carried out an operation in the village Mesa de Pole, municipality of Ataco, Tolima, which led to the arrest in flagrante delicto of six individuals specialized in the illegal exploitation of gold.
During the intervention, it was evident that those arrested were carrying out alluvial gold mining without the corresponding legal permits, using two backhoes and a gutter-type classification machine, with which they removed material adjacent to the Polecito hideout. The illegal activity covered an area of approximately 350 square meters.
The authorities established that, on a monthly basis, this criminal structure extracted about 6000 grams of gold, with an approximate commercial cost of 2298 million pesos. The construction and machinery used were valued at more than 1120 million pesos. Of the extraction, about 229.8 million per month would be handed over to the residual organized armed group (GAO-r) Frente Ismael Ruiz, strengthening its illicit finances.
Those arrested were placed at the put into custody of of the authority for the alleged crime of illegal exploitation of mining deposits and other minerals.
In addition to the blow to the criminal economy, this operation had an important environmental impact, by curbing the damage caused by deforestation, the pollution of water sources and soil. Experts warn that the full recovery of the disturbed areas could take up to 30 years.
Source: Press - Fifth Division
