Security chief sought in immigrant smuggling scam

The former head of operations and security for Panama’s immigration authority is being sought for his role in an immigrant smuggling scheme. 

Rolando Taboada, a former police officials is alleged to have headed a network of immigration officials that smuggled Chinese nationals into the country to work in grocery stores and laundries managed by Chinese citizens living in the country.
Prosecutor Ángel Calderón said that several Immigration officials have admitted to their roles in the operation. Eight people have been charged, including five Immigration officials.
Calderón said that the immigrants arrived in Panama through Tocumen International Airport, and none of them planned on staying in Panama. All had been promised they would be taken to the United States, or Canada and each had paid between $15,000 and $20,000.
Once in Panama, they were taken to a private "transit area" to avoid Immigration officials. Once out of the airport terminal, they were told they would be detained for a few days while their paperwork was checked out.
The immigrants would then be "sold" to Chinese-owned businesses where they worked without any legal protection. Since the immigrants did not speak Spanish and had no money, they were unable to get help, and became unpaid slaves.