Its most notable work was during the War of the Pacific, when it carried out several successful missions.

These were recreated in a very popular military novel in Chile, Adiós al Séptimo de Línea, by Jorge Inostroza Cuevas.

During the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, the Dirección de Inteligencia Nacional (Directorate of National Intelligence), or DINA, was also created, directed especially to combat the leftist parties and movements (Socialist, Communist and MIR).

This institution was dissolved in 1977 to create its replacement, the Central Nacional de Informaciones (National Information Centre, or CNI), which performed the same tasks as the DINA.

Its highest authority is the director, responsible for the exclusive trust of the president.