Panama — A Panamanian man who was part of a child sexual exploitation network was apprehended this Thursday in the district of Arraiján, Panama Oeste province, during the implementation of the international Córdoba operation. The national was apprehended through a search and raid warrant, following an investigation that began in January 2025, when Panamanian authorities received information from their counterparts in Argentina, alerting to the possible possession of child sexual abuse material in Panama, linked to two ongoing investigations in Argentine territory, confirmed the National Police. Investigations carried out in Panama for the alleged commission of crimes of corruption of minors, commercial sexual exploitation, and other related conduct, to the detriment of at least seven minor victims located in Argentina, made it possible to establish that the minors were initially contacted through a user on the social network Instagram and subsequently through the WhatsApp application, using a telephone line registered in Panama. Major Wladimir González, head of the Cybercrime Department of the Judicial Investigation Directorate, detailed that the victims of this man were victims of grooming, a practice through which an adult, posing as a child, asks their victims for videos or photos in which they film themselves committing acts of sexual abuse against other minors or having sexual relations to share them on the dark web, specialized in child pornography, and subsequently extorted them with the material. He added that technological equipment and other evidence were seized during the operation. Poor road conditions are believed to have caused a fatal hit-and-run in Chilibre. This action was carried out by specialized Cybercrime units of the DIJ, Intelligence units of the DNIP, Information Forensics experts from the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, and with the support of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). During the operation, it was established that the suspect had a precautionary measure against him related to a previous investigation for the same type of crime. You might be interested: From door to door to the Prosecutor's Office: Apprehended with white powder for sale. Panamanian extorted minors in Argentina with sexual abuse material.
