The Seizure of 13.5 Tons of Cocaine in Panama had U.S. DEA Cooperation
The U.S. Ambassador to Panama City, Kevin Marino Cabrera pictured below,, praised Panamanian authorities for this “one-day operation.”
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) provided intelligence support for the operation that culminated in the seizure of 13.5 tons of cocaine on a vessel in Panama’s Pacific waters on November 9, the U.S. Embassy reported Friday. The ocean-going tugboat was intercepted in the Pearl Islands archipelago as it sailed from Colombia toward North America. Its ten crew members, nationals of Colombia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, are in custody and charged with international drug trafficking, according to official information. “This extraordinary achievement highlights the close security cooperation between the United States and Panama, demonstrating the strong collaboration between Panamanian authorities and the DEA,” the diplomatic mission stated in a press release issued recently.
The haul, found in “579 packages containing 11,562 bundles of illicit substance,” as reported last Tuesday by the National Aeronaval Service (SENAN), “is equivalent to 10% of the usual annual seizures made by the United States and Panama in Panama,” the official U.S. statement emphasized. U.S. Ambassador to Panama City, Kevin Marino Cabrera, praised Panamanian authorities for this “single-day operation,” which deals a “strong blow to criminal networks that profit from drug trafficking and endanger communities throughout our hemisphere.” “Under President Trump’s administration, defeating drug trafficking networks in the Western Hemisphere remains a critical priority to support regional stability and protect communities throughout the region.
Strong relationships, such as the one we maintain with Panama, are essential to achieving this goal and ensuring that criminal organizations do not find refuge in the region,” the ambassador added. A businessman and executive of the Panama Maritime Chamber, who was removed from his position, is being investigated for his alleged connection to the drug shipment, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino confirmed yesterday. Panama is a transit country for drugs produced in South America destined for the United States—the world’s largest consumer of cocaine—and Europe. The Central American country seized approximately 80 tons of illicit substances in 2024, according to official data.
