In a joint operation carried out by the Military Forces and the National Police in the department of Chocó, specifically in the rural areas of the municipalities of Unión Panamericana and Cértegui, the intervention and destruction of two clandestine mining production units was carried out. This fraction was operating with heavy, high-performance machinery, used for illegal gold extraction.
According to information provided by the authorities, the mining units intervened They used four “Brazilian dragons”, four industrial motor pumps, eight industrial motors and four power generators. This equipment allowed continuous and efficient operation, which facilitated the massive extraction of mineral resources in the region.
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The intervention was part of the activities of the Titan Joint Task Force, a fraction of the Colombian Air Force, which integrates elements of the National Army, National Navy and National Police. Since the beginning of 2024, this special unit has intensified its efforts to locate and dismantle illegal mining operations in Chocó.
To date, they have identified and destroyed a total of 28 similar mining production units, accompanied by 37 dragoons and dredgers, 141 engines, and proceeded with the seizure of 35 backhoes, apparently these would be operated by the illegal group of the Clan del Golfo, but this information is still being investigated.
The economic impact of these illicit activities is significant. According to preliminary estimates, the two mining units destroyed in Unión Panamericana and Cértegui generated approximately 18,000 grams of gold per month. This translates into monthly sales income that could reach 5,599 million Colombian pesos.
When evaluating the value of the machinery and equipment confiscated during operations, authorities estimate a total cost of 46,508 million pesos. This value includes not only equipment directly used in illegal mining, but also power generators and other components essential to keeping mining operations running.
According to the information obtained The FM, The public forces indicated that: the “estimated monthly production of 70.2 billion pesos, thus affecting the financial muscle of the organized armed groups that profit from the illegal collection of extortions from these mining production units.”
The Military Forces highlighted the importance of these interventions in the fight against organized armed groups that control these illegal activities. According to official statements, These organizations often extort the owners and operators of mining units to obtain illicit profits, which thus contribute to the financing of their criminal activities in the region.
Illegal mining in Colombia has undergone a radical transformation with the arrival of the so-called “Brazilian dragons.” These enormous machines, adapted for efficient but devastating gold extraction, have changed the landscape and social dynamics in several regions of the country.
According to reports from authorities, these dragons not only irreversibly alter river ecosystems, but are also linked to international criminal networks that illegally exploit Colombia’s natural resources.
“Brazilian dragons” are colossal metal structures, often assembled by hand, equipped with powerful motors and pumps capable of sucking large volumes of sediment from river beds. These machines not only extract sand and gravel, but also indiscriminately remove gold-rich sediments, without any respect for the natural structure of waterways.
The massive arrival of this equipment in 2005, initially promoted by two Brazilian businessmen from Serra Pelada, in the Amazon, marked a before and after in Colombian illegal mining. José Antonio Cavalcante Sousa and José Aroudo Sousa de Asís, known for their activities in the gold rush in Brazil, brought with them a technology that exponentially accelerated extraction, but also multiplied the environmental and social impacts, according to the information they obtained. The Colombian.
According to investigations by Colombian authorities, these teams operate clandestinely and often involve foreign workers without legal permits. The dragons’ operation not only involves the massive extraction of gold, but also includes the indiscriminate use of mercury, a highly toxic metal used in the process of separating gold from other minerals.
