Military forces and Carabineros detected and halted over 30 trucks linked to smuggling in Central Citani, Tarapacá Region. The operation, part of the Northern Macrozona Border Strengthening Plan, created an immediate deterrent effect. Officials highlighted the use of technology for nighttime surveillance.
On the night of April 21, Army personnel and Carabineros deployed in Central Citani, Tarapacá Region, after detecting vehicles attempting illegal entry into Chile.
The operation halted the passage of over 30 trucks linked to illicit activities, causing them to accumulate in the intervened area, the government reported.
Presidential commissioner for the Northern Macrozona, Alberto Soto, stated that “it is not just planning, but operations that inhibit illicit activities and strengthen border security”. General Luis Ovando, head of the Tarapacá Border Area, explained the deployment as part of planning for effective territory control and coordinated action in sensitive sectors.
The action is under the Northern Macrozona Border Strengthening Plan, which includes a 30-kilometer trench. The Interior Ministry emphasized cameras with high-range nighttime vision, observation posts, and mobile surveillance for real-time detection.
The Tarapacá Regional Prosecutor's Office said no investigation is underway due to lack of complaint. Recently, two Bolivians were charged for trying to take a backhoe to Bolivia, using it to cover part of the government trench; they were placed in preventive prison.
