In continuous river operations the Navy Infantry Brigade no.1 in Corozal-Sucre has found more than 100 dredgers used for illegal mining.
Units of the Colombian Navy, attached to the Joint Task Force Marte, in a joint and coordinated operation of surveillance, interception and river safety, with the National Army and the National Police, immobilize a floating structure, which was being used as a dredge for illegal mining, in the sector known as Puerto Venecia, in the municipality of Achí, in the department of Bolivar.
This operation was carried out by troops of the Navy Infantry Battalion No.17, on the Cauca river, when they found this rudimentary dredge, at a time when several people were illegally engaged in mineral exploration and exploitation activities. Troops immediately took possession of it and found two engines.
The individuals, who were operating the dredge, escaped when noticing the presence of units of the Colombian Navy. No arrests were made at the scene and the material found was put into custody of units of the Police of the municipality.
The execution of this type of illegal mining practices, in addition to being prohibited activities by the law, causes serious environmental damage, modifying the volume of river flows and their high degree of pollution due to the indiscriminate use of mercury. With this finding, the troops hit the finances of criminal structures that profit from this illegal activity in this region of the country.
Source: press-Navy of Colombia
