(General Command of the Colombian Military Forces, 25.May.2021) — In military operations area control, Troops of Task Force Vulcano of the Second Division of the National Army, dismantle, in the municipality of Tibú, Norte de Santander, two illegal refineries, which stored the raw petroleum stolen from the Caño Limón – Coveñas pipeline; these refineries belonged to the Organised Armed Group, GAO, Eln, front Juan Fernando Porras Martinez.
This operation was carried out in the municipality of La Esperanza, a sector in which men belonging to the Ground Operations Battalion No.10, found the two illegal refineries, equipped with a distillation tower, 3,200 meters of hose, two plastic storage tanks, a storage pool 4×4 meters and approximately 8,453 gallons of petroleum.
It should be noted that these illegal refineries of the GAO Eln, distilled hundreds of gallons of petroleum that went to rivers, streams and other water sources, which devastates fauna and flora typical of the ecosystems of the area.
The material was destroyed under controlled conditions by the Exde explosives and demolition team, without any damage to the environment.
The efforts of the National Army in this region of Catatumbo are aimed at blocking the trafficking of chemical precursors used for the production of cocaine hydrochloride produced in the area; the gasoline obtained in rudimentary refineries mostly belong to organized armed groups that commit crimes in this sector of the country.
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