They capture 15 members of the ELN support network who extorted money in the south of Bolivar

An operation carried out by the Unified Action Groups for Personal Freedom, GAULA, of the National Police, together with the Attorney General's Office, succeeded in the capture of 15 people. They reportedly belong to an Organized Armed Group, GAO, who charged extortion from different workers and associations in the municipalities of San Martín de Loba, Barranco de Loba, Hatillo de Loba, Altos del Rosario, Puerto Rico, Tiquisio and Norosí; in southern Bolívar and El Banco in the department of Magdalena.

Allegedly, those captured were threatening the farmers, who demanded between 5 and 10 thousand pesos for each semovinent they had. In addition, miners were required to deliver between 10% and 15% of their production, according to the prosecutor. The threats threatened the lives of these people and those of their families.

The operations were carried out with the support of the National Navy, which were carried out in the departments of Santander and Bolivar, where 15 people were arrested and ammunition, weapons and cell phones were seized.

The main captures would be those of Eder Tovar Uribe, alias “Maceto”, 40, who is presumed to be the leader of that organization, who has generated armed clashes between the guerrilla of the National Liberation Army, ELN, against the so-called “Gulf Clan”.

The other is Luis Alfonso Campuzano Arrieta, alias “Andrés Felipe”, 38, second in command, brother of the former leader of the organization known as “mouse”. Campuzano had been in the ranks of the criminal structure for almost a decade, where he was apparently responsible for extortion in towns in southern Bolivar. Also, he has notes for homicide, concert to commit crime and qualified aggravated theft.

The Prosecutor's Office charged the defendants, according to their responsibility, for the crimes of: extortion and manufacturing, trafficking or carrying a firearm or ammunition, and a concert to commit a crime. Of the 15 captured 12 were taken to prison, while 3 will pay their sentence in house detention. According to the judiciary, none of those involved accepted charges.

According to El Universal, these captures would clarify the murder of teacher and social leader Jorge Manuel Ortíz, who died on June 17, 2020, despite being accompanied by his escort, after two men intercepted them on a motorcycle and shot them at close range.

The commander of the Bolivar Police, Colonel Hector Gonzalez, said:

These actions against the ELN have also resulted, in recent days, in the seizure of more than 3 tons of drugs by the Army. The operation carried out in Tibú, municipality of Norte de Santander. The authorities say that the confiscated material would have an estimated value of 16 billion pesos. President Ivan Duque said on his Twitter account:

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