Colombian Army and police units dismantled a cluster of makeshift shelters beneath the El Cortijo bridge on Calle 80 in Bogotá, seizing dozens of bladed weapons hidden under mattresses, 400 grams of marijuana and hauling away 4.5 tons of waste, the city’s Security Secretariat said, Semana reported.
The operation targeted structures that local residents had flagged as a source of insecurity under the bridge, which spans Calle 80 in the Engativá locality. Units from the Security Secretariat, the Engativá local mayor’s office, the UAESP, the National Police and the Army’s XIII Brigade entered the site after several reports from neighbors to dismantle the installations and check the surrounding area.
Weapons hidden under mattresses and in plastic boxes
Video shared by the Security Secretariat shows officers arresting a man at the site after narcotics were found on him. Officers then continued searching the structures and found dozens of bladed weapons concealed beneath the mattresses of the shelters, with others stored in plastic boxes.
¡Entre colchones escondían cuchillos, machetes, bisturís y tijeras! Todo fue incautado y desmontamos los cambuches ubicados debajo del puente de El Cortijo, sobre la calle 80. Con @COL_EJERCITO, @PoliciaBogota y el personal de @Bogota seguimos recuperando el espacio público y… pic.twitter.com/pmKczGRJ5a
The same man was later tied to the seizure of 400 grams of marijuana, and authorities said he was captured on charges of trafficking, manufacturing or possessing narcotics.
4.5 tons of waste removed from the site
The intervention also cleared 4.5 tons of waste, equivalent to 14 cubic meters, which was loaded onto a dump truck for proper disposal, according to the authorities.
Officials said the raids are carried out to recover public space for citizens and to disrupt crime hot spots that affect Bogotá residents. Similar operations have already been conducted at other points in the capital, where several of these structures have been dismantled and, in some cases, served as refuge for illicit material.
Authorities urge residents to report similar sites
The agencies involved said they will continue these measures to bring tranquility to the public and invited people to report such situations. Anyone with information about a situation that could pose a risk can call the official emergency line 123.
Related reading
