Thirteen miners have been found dead inside a mine shaft in northern Peru, days after being kidnapped by a criminal gang linked to illegal mining activities.
The victims were employees of Poderosa, a major Peruvian gold mining company based in Pataz province, about 500 kilometres north of the capital, Lima.
According to reports, the miners had been sent to confront a group of illegal miners trying to take over parts of the company’s operations. However, they were captured by a heavily armed gang, which held them underground for several days.
The kidnappers reportedly sent threatening messages to the miners’ families during the ordeal. A video circulating on Peruvian social media — said to have been recorded by the criminals — shows the victims being executed at close range. The exact motive behind their killing remains unclear.
The mining company, which employs over 8,000 people, expressed frustration with law enforcement, accusing police and the military of failing to respond to the growing threat posed by illegal mining gangs.
“The climate of violence continues to escalate in the region,” Poderosa said in a statement. “Illegal mining and organised crime operate with absolute impunity.”
This latest incident is part of a wider trend of violence in Peru’s mining areas. In March, two contractors were killed in another attack linked to illegal miners. That same month, criminals reportedly blew up a high-voltage tower supplying power to the mines and attempted to invade several mining sites.
Since 2020, criminal groups have taken control of some of Poderosa’s operations, forcing the company to abandon certain areas due to safety concerns.
Peru is one of the world’s top gold producers, responsible for more than 100 tonnes annually — around four percent of global supply. However, the rise in illegal mining and violent attacks is putting the industry and its workers at serious risk.
The company has called on the Peruvian government to urgently restore law and order in the region.
