Military Forces and Police weaken the funding sources of the Organized Armed Groups that commit crimes in the Colombian Pacific region
In a joint, coordinated and inter-institutional operation, the Security forces dealt a heavy blow to the Residual Organized Armed Group 'Jaime Martínez', which carried out the illegal exploitation of mining deposits in the San Antonio de Gurumendy sector of the municipality of López de Micay, in the department of Cauca.
In these illegal mines, more than one kilogram of gold was extracted monthly, generating revenues of close to 1,500 million pesos per year. In this way, the Colombian Navy, the Colombian Air Force, the National Police and the Attorney General of the Nation obtain decisive results in the frame of the National Government's Security Policy, in order to weaken the funding sources of the Organized Armed Groups who commit crimes in the Colombian Pacífic region.
The success of the operation was based on the permanent evaluation of the threat of illegal exploitation of mining deposits, in the municipality of López de Micay where specialized members of the Security forces, carried out research and intelligence work for more than six months. Given the magnitude of the operation, it was necessary for its execution, the participation of 110 men.
During the operation, 10 hectares of forests that were being used for illegal exploitation were recovered, three backhoes were destroyed along three engines, which represent, for this Residual Organized Armed Group, additional loses of about 750 million pesos.
The men of the Navy Infantry Brigade No.2 attached to the Pacific Naval Force, the Anti-narcotics Directorate of the National Police, the Mobile Anti-Riot Squad, the National Unit Against Illicit Mining, the Air Combat Command No.7 and Specialized Office of the Environment, were transported by air to the area by Air Combat command No. 7.
The illegal exploitation of gold has become a highly lucrative business for the Organized Armed Groups, it could be said that more than drug trafficking, since once extracted, it can be marketed later legally. It is a business that leaves incalculable and irreversible damages to the environment, it directly hits the water sources that become contaminated with mercury, and in addition potentiate the indiscriminate felling of trees which generates public health problems.
Source: Pacific Naval Force
