Q COSTARICA — A new operation against illegal gold mining on the northern border in Costa Rica ended with clashes between Fuerza Publica (National Police) officers and alleged clandestine miners on Conchuditas hill, located in Cutris de San Carlos, near the San Juan River.
The police operation dismantled a large camp used for illegal mining activities and prevented approximately 5,000 sacks of mining material from being removed from the area, the Ministry of Public Security reported.
This operation represents the second blow in less than two weeks against criminal organizations linked to illegal mining in this border region, a problem that has raised alarms among authorities due to its environmental impact, the territorial control exerted by criminal groups, and the risk to public safety.
The official report states that when officers entered the camp, they found a large number of people present. Most of the suspects fled into the mountains; however, approximately 150 individuals remained in the area and reacted violently against the police.
Some of the alleged gold miners were armed and fired at the officers, while others attempted to attack them using machetes, metal bars, and tools known as “shovels,” commonly used in mining operations.
Faced with the direct aggression, the officers had to use their service weapons to repel the attack and protect themselves. Despite the tension of the confrontation, no one was injured.
Subsequently, the police managed to disperse the group, whose members escaped into wooded areas and toward the San Juan River, a zone frequently used by organizations dedicated to illegal gold mining due to the difficult access and its proximity to the border with Nicaragua.
In recent months, Costa Rican authorities have intensified operations along the northern border due to the growth of illegal gold mining activities, especially in areas near the San Juan River and in remote mountainous regions.
The Cutris area and other border points in the north of the country have become critical areas for illegal gold mining, a phenomenon also denounced by environmental organizations due to river pollution and deforestation caused by these clandestine activities.
Authorities do not rule out further operations in the coming weeks as part of the strategy to curb the expansion of illegal mining camps on the border with Nicaragua.