Four hundred seventy people linked to offences of environmental nature were captured by the Attorney-General’s Office in a series of operations carried out across the country this year.
These actions were developed as part of the campaign against illegal mining that the entity advances in the country, but especially in the departments of Antioquia, Córdoba, Bolívar and Choco.
The head of the Unit for crimes against natural resources, Elsa Gloria Arias Rangel, announced the capture of these people and added that currently pursuing the consolidation of several investigations within stands the 5 people catch in the act in the town of Novita (Choco), which are being held in prison waiting the appropriate accusation, facts that were conducted in a forest reserve area.
In the South of Bolivar were issued five arrest warrants by facts relating to air pollution by exploitation of mineral deposits. These people would be related with the guerrillas of the ELN and the FARC. Similarly, in Antioquia were linked eleven people, not only for environmental crimes but for concert to commit a crime. In addition, 26 other people have been captured for environmental crimes relating to illegal mining.
Illegal mining involves not only the exploitation of gold, but of coal, sand, coltan and gravel, among others.