Colombia cops seize 7.3 million gallons of crude in raids on illegal refineries

BOGOTA (Reuters) – Colombian police have seized more than seven million gallons of in raids on illegal refineries in an operation targeting the production of bootleg fuel in the country’s Norte de Santander (BME:) province, the police said in a statement on Monday.

The fuel is refined from crude oil stolen from pipelines by criminal gangs and is a key ingredient in cocaine production or mixed with gasoline or diesel and used to run machines in illegal mining operations, police say.