Tags: LT | Ecuador | Illegal Mine

Ecuador Sends Police, Army to Crack Down on Big Illegal Mine

Tuesday, 02 July 2019 12:38 PM EDT

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuador's government has sent about 2,400 police and soldiers to crack down on a major illegal gold mine that is dominated by heavily armed organized crime groups.

Interior and Police Minister María Paula Romo says the magnitude of the problem made Tuesday's raid necessary. President Lenin Moreno declared a state of emergency in the region on Monday.

Independent miners have flocked to the Buenos Aires mine area since gold was discovered there in late 2017. Organized crime groups moved in to take control and police say they've seen an expanding list of crimes, including homicide to extortion to trafficking in people.

As many as 10,000 now live in the mine area, many in a settlement known as "the plastic city" for the materials used to cover the shacks.

© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


GlobalTalk
Ecuador's government has sent about 2,400 police and soldiers to crack down on a major illegal gold mine that is dominated by heavily armed organized crime groups.Interior and Police Minister María Paula Romo says the magnitude of the problem made Tuesday's raid necessary....
LT,Ecuador,Illegal Mine
131
2019-38-02
Tuesday, 02 July 2019 12:38 PM
Newsmax Media, Inc.

Sign up for Newsmax’s Daily Newsletter

Receive breaking news and original analysis - sent right to your inbox.

(Optional for Local News)
Privacy: We never share your email address.
Join the Newsmax Community
Read and Post Comments
Please review Community Guidelines before posting a comment.
 
 
TOP

Newsmax, Moneynews, Newsmax Health, and Independent. American. are registered trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. Newsmax TV, and Newsmax World are trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc.

NEWSMAX.COM
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
NEWSMAX.COM
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved