These operations make Colombians to stop paying more than 240 million pesos. 74 percent of the arrests were for the crime of extortion.
Striking blows to illegality have been dealt by Military Gaula (Anti-Extortion and Anti-Kidnapping Group), in joint, coordinated and interinstitutional operations with the Military Forces, the National Police and the Attorney General of the Nation. A total of 147 people were prosecuted for extortion, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit a crime and other related crimes in different parts of the country, which led to the Colombian people to stop paying 246 billion pesos.
The important operations carried out in the last 8 days, led to thwart 6 extortions, the dismantling of two criminal groups, the discovery of 46 short and long range weapons including a submachinegun, 14 fragmentation grenades, abundant precursors and ammunition of war, elements used by the illegals to perpetrate operations against the civilian population, especially with crimes that attack personal freedom.
Finding of weapons used to hit Military and Police Forces
Four alleged members of the group known as 'Los Guajiros', were captured in recent hours in the middle of a raid conducted by the Guajira Military Gaula (Anti-Extortion and Anti-Kidnapping Group) and the National Police in the municipality of Maicao. In the middle of the proceedings troops found 9 caliber pistols 9mm, a pistol Friedericksburg, a pistol .40 and three .45, six revolvers of different brands and calibers, a submachinegun 9mm, a shotgun caliber 12 and 1,685 cartridges of different caliber.
In this procedure a gray car was in the same way found where several of the seized weapons were found.
The individuals were prosecuted for trafficking, manufacturing and / or carrying of firearms that they allegedly had illegally brought from other countries and subsequently sold and rented to members of different Organized Armed Groups who commit crimes in that area of the country.
Thwarted kidnapping
The timely information provided on the national toll-free line 147 led the Magdalena Military Gaula (Anti-Extortion and Anti-Kidnapping Group) to detain 4 individuals in the midst of an operation in the village Las Flores de María in the municipality of San Ángel.
The individuals pretended to be members of the GAO “Clan del Golfo”, they were surprised when they received 9 million pesos, an initial payment of an extortion of 70 million pesos perpetrated against a rancher, who had been repeatedly threatened to kidnap some members of his family if he did not pay the money.
In the middle of the procedure troops found two revolvers and two motorcycles. One of the individuals was wounded and received the timely assistance of the combat nurses, later he was taken to a health center in the municipality of Pivijay where he recovers.
In the department of Cauca
In an important operation carried out by the Military Gaula (Anti-Extortion and Anti-Kidnapping Group) - Cauca, with the Attorney General's Office with the support of the National Police, in the middle of 19 raids, 10 alleged members of the criminal group known as 'Los Ninos' were captured. They commited crimes in the town El Bordo of the municipality of Patía. These individuals, had 3 firearms. They allegedly perpetrated extortion, selective homicides, robberies, drug trafficking and illegally carry firearms of private use of the Military Forces.
With the dismantling of this illegal group, the community will be able to work and move quietly through the streets of the locality, since they were constantly intimidated to pay extortion so that they could work, transport and carry out daily activities.
In other events, in a joint operation with troops of the Third Division of the National Army, two minors of age were recovered in the sector known as El Cruce of San Alfonso in the municipality of Balboa.
Both were put under the protection of the Childhood and Adolescence Police in the presence of Family Wellbeing so that their rights could be restored.
Against the 'Clan del Golfo'
A heavy blow was given by the Gaula (Anti-Extortion and Anti-Kidnapping Group), with the Military Forces and the National Police against the Organized Armed Group (GAO) Clan del Golfo. They captured 51 of their presumed members. Among the hit structures there are the 'Luis Fernando Gutiérrez' and the 'Erlín Pino Duarte', who committed crimes in the south of the department of Bolívar and in Antioquia.
The individuals were wanted for the offenses of conspiracy to commit crimes aggravated for extortion and aggravated extortion executed against farmers, traders and community members. In addition, they must in the same way face charges for the crimes of trafficking, manufacturing, or carrying of narcotics since they would distribute these illegal substances on the banks of the Cauca River and the Magdalena River. Their criminal operations hit the communities of Achí, Montecristo, San Jacinto del Cauca, Arenal and other municipalities in southern Bolívar.
Among the detainees would be alias 'Marlon', who would be the finances chief of that illegal group. In the middle of the procedure troops found a rifle and a large quantity of ammunition of different caliber.
Source: National Army
