A criminal gang containing active and retired members of the Colombian Army has been dismantled in the west of the country, reported newspaper La Vanguardia Thursday.
A nationwide operation against organized crime uncovered nine military and ex-military members of a gang who extorted, trafficked weapons and murdered in the Tolima department.
According to Colombia’s Prosecutor General, members of the gang also faked being members of the police force in order to gain people’s trust and support.
An army spokesman confirmed that some of those captured were Army members but that they would face civilian justice.
“We are carrying on intelligence work with the aim of finding out the whereabouts of others involved. Unfortunately we have to say that they belong to the Sixth Brigade, but they will still pay for what they have done./