Criminals in Mariato Perfect Livestock Theft Methods

Ángel Batista, the mayor of Mariato, has called on investigative authorities and police surveillance bodies to stop criminals who have apparently perfected their methods, even going as far as to dismember animals on riverbanks, in streams, and in remote areas to facilitate transport. Meanwhile, producers and residents of the area, Abel Ávila and Abdiel Gómez, agreed that criminal gangs have adopted more sophisticated methods for transporting stolen meat. Batista made an urgent call to security forces to reinforce police surveillance in this sector, known for its tourism and productive development. These citizens pose as fish or other product buyers, entering farms to identify and steal cattle. The livestock farmers of Mariato report that criminal activity not only impacts their economy but also threatens the stability of a district that has been promoting its growth through tourism, fishing, and agricultural production. They are calling for coordinated action between the National Police, the Public Ministry, and local authorities to curb a crime that they warn could worsen in the coming months if decisive measures are not taken. He noted that the phenomenon is not isolated and that the affected, mostly small and medium-sized livestock farmers, have already suffered significant losses. Livestock producers in the district of Mariato in the province of Veraguas are living in a state of growing concern as gangs of rustlers advance. Among the detected methods is the use of vehicles equipped with double refrigerated tanks, a strategy that allows them to move illicit products without raising suspicion at checkpoints.