In just 48 hours, Panamanian authorities seized nearly 2,330 packages of alleged illicit substance in operations carried out in Chiriquí, the Pacific and the Las Perlas Archipelago.
The actions, executed by the National Aeronaval Service (Senan)the National Police and the Public Ministryreveal how Panama continues to be a strategic transit point for illicit shipments seeking to reach markets in Central America, Europe and possibly North America.
The largest seizure occurred in eastern Chirica, where police units intercepted five vehicles heading towards the border between Panama and Costa Rica. In the so-called “Operation Horizon”, the authorities seized 1,320 packages of alleged drugs and they captured four Panamanian citizens.
According to the official report, in addition to the illicit substance, they were seized a nine millimeter caliber firearm without a permit, ammunition, suppliers and two satellite internet antennasequipment that is usually used to maintain communication on clandestine or difficult-to-access routes.
One day later, the Senan and the Attorney General’s Office They reported on another operation in Playa Martín Pérez, in the Las Perlas Archipelago, where they were found 975 packages of alleged drugs hidden in a mangrove area and distributed in two boats.
In that action they were Two citizens arrested and the boats seized allegedly used to transport cargo through the Eastern Pacific.
Added to this was a third discovery in a port terminal in the Panamanian Pacific, where aero-naval units located 35 packages of alleged illicit substance hidden inside the cooling panels of a container from Ecuador.
The container’s final destination was Poti, Georgiaa port city located on the Black Sea and considered a strategic logistics point for trade to Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
The three seizures reflect the diversity of routes and methods used by criminal organizations to move illicit shipments through Panamanian territory.
While a part of the merchandise was allegedly destined Costa Rica by land, other cargo was moved through maritime corridors of the Peaceful and another used port infrastructure to reach international markets.
Authorities did not detail the exact type of illegal substance seized.although this type of operation is usually related to cocaine destined for markets where the value of drug trafficking increases considerably after each border crossed.
Based on international estimates on cocaine trafficking, shipments of this size can multiply their value several times when they reach final destinations in Europe or North America, which explains the interest of criminal networks in using Panama’s ports, coasts and border crossings.
