Panama — Thirty-two individuals linked to drug trafficking through the contamination of luggage at Tocumen International Airport, who did not accept a plea deal, will remain under provisional detention after the Panama Court of Appeals confirmed the precautionary measure applied in first instance by a guarantees judge. The Judicial Branch revealed that magistrates Justo Vargas, Yorleni Rodríguez, and Andrés Reyes listened to and evaluated the arguments presented by the defense attorneys and the Prosecutor's Office. On the other hand, the apprehension of one of them had been declared illegal. Through the investigation of this case, which began in 2023, it was established that members of the criminal organization received drugs from Colombia on the coasts of Darién, Panama, West Panama, Coclé, and Los Santos. They also introduced suitcases full of drugs into Tocumen International Airport with the help of officials from the entity, who were in charge of changing the tags (labels) on suitcases of ordinary passengers traveling to the United States and Europe. As a result, 21 people were convicted through plea deals ranging from 60 to 180 months in prison for crimes against collective security, in the modality of conspiracy to commit crimes related to drugs, as well as for international drug trafficking. In the end, it was concluded that the precautionary measures applied were necessary, suitable, and proportional, in view of the seriousness of the facts investigated and the degree of involvement of the accused. During the anti-drug operations called "Eros" and "Colibrí", carried out last November in East Panama, West Panama, and Veraguas, the Specialized Prosecutor's Office for Drug-Related Crimes and the National Police managed to apprehend 54 people. Subsequently, they were intercepted in the airport's arrival terminal, while the traveler was left without their luggage.
