Colombia Army Seizes Illegal Gold Mining Equipment on Putumayo River
What happened
The Colombian Army disabled illegal gold-dredging equipment on the Putumayo River, which forms the border between Colombia and Peru. The operation, reported on October 11, involved striking a dredging site in Puerto Caicedo, Colombia’s Putumayo department. The Army listed four production units, four dredges, five classifiers, and seven industrial engines, valuing the equipment at over 200 million pesos, or approximately US$63,000.
From riotimesonline.com
Why it matters
Military intelligence stated that the operation harmed the finances of Comandos de Frontera, an armed group described by the Army as a dissident offshoot of former FARC rebels. The seizure highlights how illegal gold mining supports armed groups along the Colombia-Peru border, a situation that is also being monitored by the US military.
From riotimesonline.com
Who's involved
- ColombiaCountry where the Army conducted the operation and where the river forms the border.
- PeruNeighboring sovereign state whose border is defined by the river and which is cooperating with the US military.
- National Liberation ArmyGovernment agency of Colombia that conducted the operation to disable the illegal mining equipment.