Gang war leaves 18 dead in bloodiest week

Panama Oeste has pushed  Colon aside as the epicenter of drug-related murders in the battle for control of maritime routes in the province has unleashed a wave of crimes between rival gangs fighting for control of access points, between Vacamonte, Arraiján, and the Chame district.

Four homicides in El Chumical, Arraiján, and at least three previously are believed related to the massacre in the La Joyita prison on December 17, 2019.

The principal target was a brother of Alberto Ríos, imprisoned for a drug case, who killed on the day of the prison massacre. Those killed in El Chumical were Giordano Case Meneses, Gabriel Batista, and Joel Gorden Camarena. The fourth victim has not been identified.

 JudicialAuthorities linked to the investigation explained that until last year, the groups in the conflict had an agreement to respect the operations that each one carried out for the transfer of drugs, but that the loss of a shipment started the fight for control of the region.

In the Drug Prosecutor’s Office they indicate that Ríos is related to some fishing boats that operate in the port of Vacamonte, and allegedly used for drug trafficking.

Authorities are also investigating another triple homicide after the bodies were found on May 7 in Lebanon, a town on the road to Punta Chame. Those killed were: David Franco, Álvaro Hidalgo, and Juan Carlos Torres who had been missing for several days. Their bullet-ridden bodies were in an advanced state of decomposition. and later

Another triple homicide was committed on May 11 in Tres Quebradas, Los Santos province. Brothers Jesús and Jaime Chambers Barahona and  Alanis Mendoza. Were  killed by , four hooded men with “long weapons” and “pistols” who before shooting asked the victims “do you remember us?’

There are indications that the case is linked to the transfer of drugs. According to the first investigations, the event would have something to do with the drug trafficking network that led to the El Gallero investigation centered around a mayor’s office

Another killing possibly linked to drug trafficking was committed on  Monday on the Puente Centenario road, in Ancón. Elizalde Viruet was gunned down with an assault rifle  Viruet had an extensive drug trafficking record and was serving a long sentence when he was moved to house arrest because he had cancer.

The murderers rented a house near his residence to monitor him and choose the moment to murder him.

In Barraza, in El Chorrillo,  a man was known to police as a “drug lord” was one of , two people on Thursday bringing the week’s assassination to 18 making it the bloodiest week in recent years.

Between January and April of this year, 186 homicides were committed.