‘Cholo Chorrillo’ Sentenced by a Federal Court in the US for International Drug Trafficking
Cholo Chorrillo was extradited from Costa Rica to the United States.
Panama City: A federal court in Los Angeles sentenced Jorge Ruben Camargo Clarke, known as “Cholo Chorrillo”, leader of the Panamanian gang Baghdad, responsible for trafficking multiple metric tons of cocaine destined for the United States, according to a statement from the United States Embassy in Panama. The sentence found the defendant guilty on all counts of international drug trafficking brought against him after a trial that exposed the operational structure of one of the most dangerous criminal networks to emerge in Panama in the last decade. Camargo Clarke was captured in Costa Rica in 2022 while trying to evade Panamanian and US justice.
After complex legal proceedings, he was extradited to the United States in March 2023 to face federal charges for conspiracy to distribute cocaine with the intent to import it into the United States. During the trial, prosecutors presented compelling evidence directly linking the Baghdad gang leader to logistical operations that facilitated the movement of illicit drugs from Panamanian territory to distribution points in the United States, solidifying his position as a central figure in a transnational drug trafficking network.
The investigation that supported the conviction involved coordinated work between the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Panamanian police and judicial authorities, whose forensic contributions and expert testimonies proved decisive in establishing Camargo Clarke’s criminal responsibility. The evidence showed that under his command, the Baghdad gang not only operated as a local distribution structure in marginalized neighborhoods of Panama City, but also served as a strategic hub for the international trafficking of narcotics to the north of the continent.
The sentence represents a milestone in the fight against organized crime in Central America, achieving the conviction in US territory of a criminal leader whose activities generated extreme violence and destabilization in Panamanian communities. The U.S. Embassy extended its sincere gratitude to the police and judicial institutions of Panama for their firm commitment to the rule of law.
“This conviction sends a clear message: the leaders of violent criminal organizations involved in large-scale drug trafficking will be held accountable, no matter where they try to hide. The United States remains steadfast in its cooperation with Panama to combat organized crime, strengthen security, and protect our communities,” the U.S. Embassy statement concluded.
Camargo directly contributed to the flow of illicit narcotics into American communities. This conviction represents a significant blow to a criminal network responsible for extreme violence, instability, and large-scale drug trafficking.— “Statement from the US Embassy”
