Colombian security forces have intervened 951 illegal mineswith the seizure of 421 elements for the illegal extraction of mining deposits since August 7 of last year, when the new Government assumed power, the Ministry of Defense reported this Sunday.
(Former vice-minister Ruiz assures that Vélez has technical deficiencies).
From that date, The National Police has carried out 312 operations throughout the country, mainly in five regions, since of the 1,102 Colombian municipalities, “174 are being affected by the illegal exploitation of mining deposits, specifically for the extraction of gold”said the director of Carabineros and Environmental Protection of the Police, Colonel William Castaño.
“Among other elements, the destruction of 846 backhoe loaders, dredgers, motor pumps, engines and the seizure of 13 kilograms of solid inputs (mercury and gold), as well as 368 gallons of liquid inputs (ACPM and gasoline) stand out,” explained the Ministry in a statement.
For his part, Defense Minister Iván Velásquez determined that the government of President Gustavo Petro is focused on standing up to the illegal extraction of minerals, because in this way “criminal organizations obtain fewer profits and therefore it leads to their weakening.”
(Is the government seeking to bury the mining code?).
“Within this purpose, (I have given) an instruction to the Police to increase these actions in the highest possible numbers, as a contribution to Total Peace,” added the minister.
In this sense, in recent days an operation was carried out in a rural area of Tumaco, in the south of the Pacific coast, where they managed to destroy “8 backhoes that were dedicated to the affectation of natural resources in this area of the country; in addition, 2 engines and the intervention of 8 illegal mines that were on the Patía River.”
(Agro and mines have not yet resumed pre-covid activity levels).
This operation, in addition to affecting the groups that profit from this activity – which together with drug trafficking is one of the most lucrative – has managed to prevent the dumping of polluting substances such as mercury into rivers and the environment.
“This government is and will continue to be committed to the guidelines for the conservation of life, water resources, fauna and flora,” Velasquez pointed out.
EFE
