Business · Philippines Bureau
Seven arrested in Catanduanes illegal mining operation
Police in Catanduanes have arrested seven individuals for engaging in unauthorized small-scale mining activities in a mountainous area. The suspects were apprehended with equipment commonly used in illegal mining operations.
LSN Philippines ·
LEGAZPI CITY — Authorities in Catanduanes arrested seven people for allegedly conducting unlicensed small-scale mining operations in San Andres town, marking another enforcement action against illegal extraction activities in the region.
The suspects were taken into custody in Barangay Cabungahan following an operation by local police. Officers recovered mining equipment from the area, including six shovels, six digging bars, and six flashlights.
Additional items seized during the operation included five pairs of work gloves, three wooden gold-panning pans, and three wooden sluice boxes—apparatus typically employed in artisanal mining processes.
The arrested individuals now face charges related to unauthorized mining activities. The operation underscores ongoing law enforcement efforts to combat illegal mining in the province, which has long contended with small-scale extraction operations in its mountainous terrain.
Authorities have not yet released further details regarding the suspects or their disposition.