Landmark year for anti-narco teams in Panama

THE COST of doing business  for narco-traffickers in Panama has escalated during 2015  with record seizures  of drugs by the authorities.

Statistics from the Ministry of Public Security show that 55 tons of narcotics have been seized so far.

Minister Rodolfo Aguilera said that this result is due to the coordinated work of various agencies, such as police, the  naval agency Senan, the border patrol agency Senafront and prosecutors.

The amount seized is the most in recent memory, and is slightly more than than 54.31 tons seized in 2010.

Panama seized 39.64 tons in 2011 and 35.51 tons in 2012. There were 43.7 tons seized in 2013 and in 2014 the amount was 39.02 tons reports La Prensa

Aguilera said  that in recent years the drug cartels have varied techniques for transporting their products.

Shipments are generally smaller and are moved in fishing vessels so as to not arouse suspicion.

He said traffickers still continue to use speedboats, but many of them are usedfar out to sea to avoid coastal patrols.