In 2023, thanks to inter-institutional operations, it has been possible to arrest 68 people for crimes against the environment in the department of Caldas, and found 13 dredgers that were used for the illicit exploitation of mining deposits.
Troops of the Infantry Battalion N°22 Batalla de Ayacucho, of the Eighth Brigade of Colombian National Army, in coordination with the Basec 5, Carabineros Police and the CTI (Technical Investigations Corps) of the Prosecutor's Office, find machinery and elements with which illicit exploitation of mining deposits was carried out, who used the hydraulic pumping modality for the extraction of alluvial gold.
In the rural area of the municipality of Filadelfia, department of Caldas, in infiltration and control work against the illicit extraction of minerals, a mining production unit was intervened where gold was extracted, and where about 3 hectares of vegetation layer had already been hit and the Cauca River had been polluted.
This operation took place in the Amapola village, municipality of Filadelfia, where 3 dredgers, 12 engines, 6 motor pumps, 4 compressors, 3 metal gutters, 42 meters of hose, 8 diving equipment, 18 plastic barrels, 300 meters of metal wire, 4 gas cylinders, 110 gallons of DIESEL and 105 gallons of gasoline were found by troops and destroyed in controlled conditions; the material would cost about $ 250,000,000 COP.
The illegal exploitation of minerals in these municipalities of the Upper West of Caldas has been carried out without having the legal mining title, stipulated in Law 685 of 2001 of the Mining Code, which has hit not only natural resources, but the well-being and security of the families who live and legally benefit of these water sources.
This result contributes to the protection of the Cauca River, whose loss due to intervention at this point was valued at more than 122 million pesos.
It is estimated that 280 grams of gold per month would be extracted in these illegal production units, which is equivalent to an average income per sale of 78,400,000 million pesos per month.
Source: Press - Fifth Division of Colombian National Army
