Senafront Detains 33 Migrants in Border Operation with Colombia

The National Border Service (Senafront) reported this Tuesday on the detention of 33 migrants of different nationalities during the execution of Operation Sentinel, which is being carried out along the 266 kilometers of border between Panama and Colombia.  At a press conference, the Director General of Senafront, Larry Solís , explained that the incident occurred in the Dos Bocas area, where border units intercepted five people transporting a group of migrants irregularly.

According to official information, two of the migrants were identified as suspected human traffickers (coyotes) of Colombian nationality.  The detained migrants come from Venezuela, Colombia, China, Bangladesh, Cameroon and Costa Rica, and were placed under the orders of the National Migration Service for the corresponding administrative procedures.  Solís indicated that, after the verifications carried out, eight of the 31 migrants identified had biometric alerts, while two had alleged links with the Tren de Aragua criminal organization, according to the records consulted by the authorities. 

The director of Senafront explained that these people were being moved between sectors of the Espiragua area, as part of the routes used for the irregular transit of migrants through the eastern border of the country.  The institution stated that this operation is part of ongoing efforts to combat the illicit trafficking of migrants, a crime that poses risks to the safety of people on the move and to border communities.  Senafront reiterated that it maintains sustained territorial control and reconnaissance operations in the border area, in coordination with other State entities, with the objective of preventing transnational crimes and guaranteeing security in the region.