The government has confirmed the discovery of 14 tunnels used for illegal gold mining, an operation that has revealed the mineral’s million-dollar value. Don’t miss it. Everyone throws it in the rubbish, but it contains 22-carat gold, worth thousands of dollars. Authorities estimate that the gold illegally mined in this region yielded criminal organisations up to 3 billion pesos per year in revenue. President Gustavo Petro announced a major operation in Buriticá (Antioquia), where 14 properties with tunnels used by the Golfo clan for illegal gold mining were seized, said the head of state.
This discovery is one of the most significant in the fight against illegal mineral extraction in Colombia and marks a turning point in the control of gold in this gold-bearing region. Authorities have assured that these tunnels were the main source of financing for criminal activities, especially for the purchase of weapons by illegal organisations.
What is known about the gold tunnels discovered in Buriticá
In the operation that led to the discovery, 140 soldiers from the Seventh Brigade and 120 police officers participated, President Petro reported. In addition, security forces used artillery and drones to protect the facilities and ensure the elimination of the illegal mining network. It is worth noting that the Special Assets Society (SAE) recovered the area used for illegal mining during the operation and sealed several tunnels, which represented a physical blow to the criminal network. After sending troops, drones and specialised equipment to combat illegal mining, the area was placed under institutional control.
One billion in revenue from gold mining in Colombia
The authorities link the seized tunnels to the Clan del Golfo, a criminal organisation that allegedly used these passages to extract gold and finance its military structure. According to government data, illegal mining yielded around 3 billion pesos per year, equivalent to 800 million dollars per year, a significant amount to sustain criminal networks in the region.
What will happen now with the tunnels and the seized gold
By decision of the executive branch, 14 properties with tunnels will be transferred to the ownership of cooperatives of small traditional miners in Buriticá, as part of a legalisation plan. Petro also announced that the state will purchase the gold mined by these cooperatives at a price slightly below the international price, to use part of the difference as local royalties. The government announced that the confiscated properties will be transferred to small miners’ cooperatives as part of the legalisation plan. The government plans to strengthen its institutional presence in the region: strengthening health, education and the granting of mining rights to transform the illegal economy into a legal one in Buritica.
