Cop among 20 seized in major drug bust
A National Police 2nd Lieutenant was among those arrested in a major drug-bust operation code-named Neptune between the Public Ministry’s drug prosecutor’s office and the National Police which , uncovered a wide network of drug trafficking and the large group of people allegedly in charge of its distribution, under the leadership of a gang known as Bagdad.
During a hearing to legalize the arrest, indictment, and application of precautionary measures to 20 of its members, including several of the leaders,
The prosecution said the network had the collaboration of artisan boat operators who alerted the organization about the movements of the patrol boats of the National Aeronaval Service (Senan) .
This allowed the organization’s vessels to pick up drug shipments from Colombia on the high seas, then take them ashore and divide them into smaller packages, and then move them to Central America.
According to the investigation, this network had a point of operations in Isla del Rey, and in its structure, it had coordinators in Boca La Caja, El Chorrillo, in the capital; Vacamonte, in Arraiján, and in the province of Veraguas. The operations of each of these occurred in a shared manner and only those responsible had knowledge of the scope.
The investigation of the drug prosecutor’s office began in 2017 and in 2020 the seizure of 250 kilos of cocaine was achieved.
In the investigation, which had the contribution of the North American Anti-Drug Agency (DEA), it was determined that the leaders of this criminal network allegedly also provided logistical support to speedboats with drugs from Colombia. The assistance consisted of the delivery of fuel and provisions.
During the operation, the prosecution has seized 14 vehicles, four of them armored, as well as firearms, satellite phones, and $62,000.
On Friday a guarantee judge legalized the arrest of 19 of its members, as well as the indictment for the alleged commission of the crimes of drug trafficking and illegal possession of firearms.
According to sources linked to the investigation, members of this organization participated in a brawl at the La Joyita Penitentiary Center in 2019, which left 13 inmates dead and several injured. According to sources, the brawl took place with former members of this organization, for the control of drug trafficking in the Panamanian Pacific sector. These events are also related to a triple homicide in Arraiján.
A
