Police in Colombia have arrested the alleged foremost suspect within the homicide of 13 kidnapped employees at a gold mine in neighbouring Peru.
Miguel Antonio Rodríguez Díaz, whose alias is “Cuchillo” (knife), was arrested within the metropolis of Medellin in a joint operation between the 2 nations and Interpol, in keeping with Peru’s inside ministry and Colombian police.
The our bodies of the miners have been recovered on 4 Could from a tunnel at a mine within the Pataz district of Peru.
A lawyer for Mr Diaz has denied his involvement within the killings.
Peru is without doubt one of the largest gold producers in Latin America and has seen a surge in violence from unlawful miners and organised prison gangs.
The 13 males killed in Pataz had been despatched to confront a bunch which had attacked and occupied the mine however have been ambushed and seized as they have been making an attempt to regain management of it, Peruvian authorities mentioned.
Mr Diaz is suspected of allegedly ordering the storming of the mine’s entrance, with the goal of stealing gold extracted by miners, Peru’s interior ministry said in a statement.
He’s accused of “organised crime, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated murder”, it added.
A video posted by authorities confirmed him being detained by armed police in a busy downtown space of Medellin.
Colombian police chief Carlos Triana mentioned Mr Diaz was situated with the assist of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement company and was topic to an Interpol crimson discover.
Peru’s inside ministry mentioned they anticipated Mr Diaz to be extradited to Peru within the coming days.
La Poderosa, which owns the mine the place the murders occurred, beforehand mentioned 39 folks with hyperlinks to the corporate have been killed by prison gangs in Pataz in complete.
This most up-to-date assault prompted Peru’s President Dina Boluarte to impose a night-time curfew in Pataz and to droop mining actions for a month. Additional police and troopers have been additionally despatched to the area.
