News agency EFE reported on the incident as covered by national media, which stated: "The tugboat where the stash was found, named Oceanic Tug, is owned by the company Dolphin Tugs, which belongs to Pablo Torres, a board member of the Panama Maritime Chamber".
Torres's name was prominent in the previous government as he was a trusted man of Noriel Araúz, the former administrator of the Panama Maritime Authority. Torres stated that he has had no relationship with this vessel since 2023, as it was sold on March 22 of that year. Records from the Panadata business data platform also indicate that Pablo Torres is an active member of Dolphin Tugs. Additionally, in the list of companies with valid operational licenses from the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP), updated as of October 30, 2025, Pablo Torres is listed as the legal representative of Dolphin Tugs Inc. This company appears in the Public Registry of Panama with Torres Chong as its president.
The figure of Pablo Torres is once again navigating through troubled waters, but this time not for his business but for the seizure of a vessel with multiple illicit substances to which he is allegedly linked. It should also not be forgotten that the company that obtained the exclusive monopoly for dispatching fuel or "bunker" to cruise ships in 2024 had Torres, an associate of Araúz, as its director.
However, although the digital footprint keeps this link alive, the businessman denies the allegations. In 2021, lawyer Helga Ceballos also filed a criminal complaint for possible acts of corruption against the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP), in which his name was mentioned. It should be recalled that in 2020, his company was granted the occupation of Pier 8 of the Balboa Shipyard.
This turmoil has already had its first consequences for Torres, who decided to "voluntarily" leave his position on the board of the Maritime Chamber while the facts are clarified and citizens demand more answers.
The authorities reported on Tuesday the "historic" seizure of 13,508 kilograms of cocaine, with a market value of about 200 million dollars, from a tugboat intercepted in the waters of the Pacific. The news is already resonating beyond borders. According to Marine Vessel Traffic, this vessel has been registered since 2022 in the name of the Dolphin Tugs company. He also stated that he has no ownership, operational, administrative, or representation relationship with the vessel, nor with the activities currently mentioned in the media. That same year, one of his multiple licenses for maritime service activities was involved in a bunker spill.
