Panamanian authorities are on high alert due to the reactivation of groups dedicated to trafficking extracontinental migrants arriving in the Darién province and coastal areas from Colombia. In three operations carried out by the National Border Service (Senafront), the National Police, and the Public Ministry, at least 25 people have been detained and equipment has been seized suggesting the existence of an organized group managing this illicit activity. Sources from the National Police confirmed that in the 'Alborada' operation alone, carried out on March 25, authorities apprehended a group of 20 people dedicated to migrant trafficking. This operation was supported by officials from the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) office of the U.S. Embassy. As part of this operation, a total of 23 search and seizure warrants were executed across the provinces of Panama, Darién, Coclé, and Chiriquí, coordinated by the First Specialized Prosecutor's Office Against Organized Crime. During these proceedings, authorities managed to apprehend 20 Panamanian nationals. Upon the arrival of police and judicial officials, the occupants refused to open the door and proceeded to destroy technological equipment. It is presumed that the detained individual acted as a liaison between Colombian groups transporting migrants to Panama. During the operation, bank documents, phone cards, pawn shop receipts, and two mobile phones were seized, one of them partially destroyed. On January 3, a man was apprehended in San Carlos, Panama Oeste province, while transporting two Indian citizens who lacked migration documents and did not speak Spanish.
Closure of the Darién Border. In July 2024, the government installed barbed-wire fences along the Darién jungle to disable illegal trails and channel the migrant flow, successfully closing six of seven border crossings. On July 1, 2024, the day of José Raúl Mulino's inauguration as president, a memorandum of understanding was signed with the then U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, to 'support Panama' in managing migrant transit through Darién. At that time, Panamanian authorities transported migrants by bus to the Costa Rican border for them to continue their journey. However, according to authorities, Senafront's measure of closing the border crossings reduced the migrant flow by up to 90%. Additionally, three vehicles, seven packages of suspected illicit substances, and various documents were seized for analysis as part of the investigations. Furthermore, on Wednesday, April 1, police agents in coordination with the Public Ministry apprehended a citizen in the Darién province, allegedly linked to the crime of illegal migrant trafficking. The search and seizure warrant was carried out in the San Antonio neighborhood, Santa Fe district, the suspect's place of residence. This document was later expanded to implement migrant repatriation flights. It is estimated that between 2020 and 2025, 1.1 million people crossed the Darién jungle, nearly all with the United States as their final destination.
