Ecuador destroys nine illegal mining camps in border province

The Ecuadorian Navy has dismantled nine illegal mining camps in the Esmeraldas province, a region bordering Colombia known for illicit activities. The operations, conducted in the municipalities of San Lorenzo and Eloy Alfaro, targeted areas suspected of hosting illegal mining operations.

During the raids, military personnel disabled ten excavators, three motor pumps, and a generator in San Lorenzo. They also confiscated a homemade shotgun. In Eloy Alfaro, three additional camps were destroyed, along with five excavators, two motor pumps, an electric generator, and a sorting machine. These efforts aim to disrupt the logistical capabilities of groups involved in illegal mining.

These actions are part of the armed forces' continuous operations against illegal mining, a lucrative but destructive activity. The government has intensified these operations, particularly after a deadly ambush in May 2025, where eleven soldiers were killed during an operation against mining groups in the Amazon. The attack was attributed to the Comandos de la Frontera, dissidents of the FARC, who are also linked to local gangs like Los Lobos, Ecuador's largest criminal organization.

Illegal mining groups have encroached on protected areas in Ecuador, drawn by high international gold prices. This activity causes significant environmental damage, including deforestation and the contamination of riverbeds with heavy metals like mercury, posing a severe threat to both ecosystems and local communities.

“

These actions form part of the permanent operations carried out by the Armed Forces to combat illegal mining, affect the operational and logistical capabilities of the structures linked to this illicit activity, and strengthen security in the province of Esmeraldas.