Chilean police (Carabineros) arrested two Bolivian nationals in the Colchane area after catching them operating a backhoe to fill in trenches and clear natural obstacles along the border.
The operation, carried out by OS-7 officers from Iquique, detected the illegal modification of the terrain during a deployment of the “Border Shield” (Escudo Fronterizo) plan. According to BioBioChile, the suspects were attempting to create unauthorized routes for vehicle transit.
The detainees are aged 31 and 43. The older man has a criminal record for smuggling, while his companion has no prior criminal record or international warrants, according to police reports.
Seized machinery and removal efforts
Upon noticing the police presence, the individuals attempted to flee and threw the machinery's keys away to evade arrest. Police managed to seize an MF-brand backhoe, model 750, as well as a mobile phone.
CNN Chile reported that the detainees also face charges for the theft of the machinery. The backhoe was being used to facilitate clandestine routes for criminal organizations to transport smuggled goods and illicit substances.
Army personnel are currently assisting in efforts to remove the heavy machinery from the affected area. The trenches the suspects were attempting to fill are part of the border reinforcement works implemented by the government.
The defendants are scheduled for a detention hearing later today. Authorities are investigating whether third parties were involved in establishing these illegal crossings in the northern macro-region.
