Four individuals entered the province of San Juan through unauthorized crossings to extract minerals, being caught at an altitude of 3,550 meters with a rifle and bags of gold. An illegal incursion in the high mountains ended in a dangerous armed confrontation between Chilean citizens and the Argentine National Gendarmerie (GNA). The incident occurred at the abandoned El Zancarrón mine, located in the Iglesia department, north of the province of San Juan.
Officers from Squadron 25 "Jáchal" surprised four Chilean men while they were clandestinely extracting gold at over 3,000 meters above sea level. Upon noticing the presence of the Argentine patrol, the group of miners reacted violently. One of the individuals brandished a .
22 caliber rifle and attempted to fire at the officers to avoid capture. However, the gendarmes executed tactical reduction maneuvers and managed to disarm the suspects before they could fire, securing the area without any injuries. After verifying their identities, authorities confirmed that the individuals had entered the country illegally through unauthorized border crossings.
During the operation, the Gendarmerie seized a significant haul consisting of various bags of raw gold and another 14 bags filled with rocks containing extracted minerals. In addition to the precious metal, the officers confiscated the arsenal and tools used for the illegal activity. This operation revealed a network of illegal mining operating along the Andean border, exploiting the extreme geography to evade immigration and customs controls.
The four detainees are under the custody of the Federal Prosecutor's Office of San Juan, which is leading the investigation. Argentine justice seeks to prosecute the individuals on charges of attempted export smuggling, an offense defined in Law 22. 415 of the Customs Code.
The judicial process also includes the aggravating factor of possession and use of a firearm, complicating the legal situation of the Chilean citizens in foreign territory.