Tragic Deaths of Thirteen Workers Found in Mine Raise Concerns

Dimly lit mine shaft with rail carts and tracks.

Thirteen workers from Peru’s largest gold mining company were found dead after being kidnapped, exposing the deadly conflict between legal operations and criminal gangs in one of Latin America’s most important mining regions.

Quick Takes

Thirteen gold miners were found dead in an underground shaft in Peru’s Pataz province after being kidnapped while confronting illegal miners.
The victims worked for La Poderosa, Peru’s largest gold-mining company, which has lost 39 workers to violence.
Despite a state of emergency and police presence, criminal violence continues to escalate in the region.
Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the killings, found with guns and ammunition.
The incident highlights the growing conflict between legal mining operations and criminal gangs in Peru, a major global gold producer.

Violent Attack on Mining Personnel

The bodies of thirteen workers from Peru’s largest gold mining company, La Poderosa, were discovered in an underground shaft in the Pataz province following their abduction. According to reports, the miners were sent to confront illegal miners operating in the area but were kidnapped by an armed criminal gang during an ambush. The victims worked for an informal mining operation that had been contracted by La Poderosa to provide security services at the site, which has become increasingly dangerous due to criminal activity.

Authorities report that two suspects have been arrested in connection with the killings, found with guns and ammunition that may have been used in the crime. A video circulating on social media allegedly shows the miners being executed, though officials have not yet verified its authenticity. The motive behind the killings remains unclear, but La Poderosa claims that armed criminals attacked the mining operation before kidnapping the workers.

Thirteen miners have been found dead inside a #mine in Peru after being kidnapped several days earlier.https://t.co/uNTEUIqzx7 pic.twitter.com/Kjkl3MILO3

— Saudi Gazette (@Saudi_Gazette) May 5, 2025

Escalating Violence Despite Security Measures

The tragic incident is part of a growing pattern of violence in Peru’s gold mining regions. La Poderosa has reported that 39 workers have been killed due to criminal groups fighting for control of the mine in Pataz. Despite government intervention including a declared state of emergency and increased police presence, criminal activity continues to plague the area. In December 2023, illegal miners attacked the same mine with explosives, resulting in nine deaths and 15 injuries.

La Poderosa has been forced to abandon some operations since 2020 due to illegal mining activities and has criticized police for inadequate action against these criminal operations. In March, criminals attacked contractors and destroyed infrastructure at the mine, further highlighting the deteriorating security situation. The company has repeatedly called for stronger government intervention to restore order in the region.

Economic Impact and Calls for Justice

Mining is a critical economic sector for Peru, which contributes over 4% of the world’s annual gold supply and is a major producer of gold and copper in Latin America. The ongoing violence threatens not only human lives but also an industry vital to Peru’s economy. Following the discovery of the bodies, victims’ relatives gathered in Trujillo awaiting the transfer of their loved ones to the morgue, demanding justice for the slain workers.

Peru’s Interior Ministry has deployed special police forces to “locate and capture those responsible for these heinous crimes.” The wave of criminal activity, including increased reports of extortion in northern mining areas, has prompted officials to declare states of emergency in multiple regions. However, La Poderosa claims illegal mining and organized crime continue to operate with “absolute impunity” despite these measures, creating a climate where violence continues to escalate throughout the region.