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Operation Summit: 15 Kilos of Marijuana and Ammunition Seized in Ercilla

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In a large-scale operation called "Operation Summit," combined forces from the Investigative Police (PDI), Carabineros, and the Army carried out a series of raids in the commune of Ercilla, specifically in the Chequenco Alto sector.

The intervention resulted in the seizure of over 15 kilos of bulk marijuana, 720 cannabis sativa plants, and war ammunition, leaving one person detained.

Commissioner Francisco Garrido, deputy chief of the Anti-Narcotics and Organized Crime Brigade of Angol, reported the discovery of the plants and processed drugs, as well as the ammunition, which includes cartridges of various calibers. The investigation is ongoing to determine whether this ammunition has been used in attacks in the region.

The chief prosecutor of Collipulli, Carlos Bustos, extended the detention of the sole arrested individual—a man with no prior police record—until Thursday to clarify the charges he will face.

The operation took place in a high-risk area, known as the Red Zone, where gunshots were heard during the intervention, though no clashes or injuries were reported. However, alternative media outlets associated with the Mapuche cause reported alleged excesses during the raid, including aggression, property damage, disruption of water supply, and a fire supposedly caused by tear gas canisters.

The Anti-Narcotics and Organized Crime Brigade highlighted that the operation removed drugs valued at 439 million pesos from circulation, as part of an investigation into violations of Drug Law 20,000. Authorities emphasized that efforts will continue to determine the extent of the network behind the illegal cultivation and the possible connection of the ammunition to acts of rural violence.