Some 623 persons were captured for these crimes, of which 477 are Panamanians and 146 foreigners.
Panama’s security levels seized a total of 119,212 drug packages in more than 180 operations throughout the country during 2023.
These seizures represent a severe blow to criminal organizations and their finances causing them millions of losses, with the seizure of $27 million 209 thousand 278, said
The province with the highest seizure was Panama with 25 percent, followed by the province of Columbus with 21 % and Los Santos with 15 percent.
The last operations of 2023 took place mostly in different ports of the country from countries such as: Guatemala, Ecuador, Canada, Costa Rica, Colombia, Belgium, Peru and the United States.
Some 623 persons were captured for these crimes, of which 477 are Panamanians and 146 foreigners.
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More than 200 people have been convicted thanks to joint work with the Public Prosecutor’s Office, said the Minister of Security, Juan Manuel Pino.
During the current administration, 542.4 tons of illicit substances have been seized, 112 tons more than seized during the last two administrations.
In 2020, the Panamanian Security Stations seized 81,521 packages with drugs, in 2021 (128,774) and in 2022 closed with (128,666) packages of illicit substances.
Panama is also advancing the construction of the drug incineration plant by 90 per cent and could be delivered during the first quarter of 2024.
“We will no longer have to burn drugs in the open sky, or send drugs to the United States to incinerate,” the head of Public Security said recently.
This article has been translated from the original which first appeared in Panamerica