Court confirms detention of security force personnel

The Superior Court of Appeals of the First Judicial District has confirmed the provisional detention applied to 13 people accused of the alleged commission of the crime against collective security, as part of “Operation Chivo” which revealed the alleged links of six officials of the National Air and Naval Service (Senan) with a drug trafficking network.

The investigation into the network began after Senan detected the loss of ammunition delivered to agents assigned to coastal patrol and surveillance.

The court’s decision was adopted at an appeal hearing that took place on January 31 and ended on Friday, February 4.

The court also revoked the personal precautionary measures of provisional detention for three people and, instead, set the periodic report (twice a week) and a ban on leaving the country. Nor will they be able to approach the Senan facilities and the PSA port in Rodman or communicate by any means with other investigators.

At the hearing, the Public Ministry was represented by prosecutor Joseph Díaz.

The technical defense of the accused was exercised by 14 lawyers between individuals and the public.

Investigations into the case began in April 2021.

As part of this operation, 34 raids were carried out in the provinces of Panama, West Panama, Veraguas, and Colon when firearms, money, bulletproof vests, vehicles, and uniforms of security forces were seized.