Judith Pena | December 22, 2022
Seven people, who were detained through the binational operation Matrioska, had their apprehension legalized and charged with the crime against humanity in its modality of illicit migrant smuggling.
According to the First Superior Prosecutor’s Office against Organized Crime, four of these people were ordered provisional detention.
After the Prosecutor Jeny Moreno verified that there were procedural risks, important for the process, such as the danger of flight due to the serious nature of the crime, the Judge of Guarantees, Francisco Serracín, considered approving the measures.
The “Matrioshka” operation was carried out jointly with the special unit for sensitive information of the National Police, and authorities from Costa Rica (where 20 people were apprehended) and the United States.
In this operation, it was possible to dismantle an international criminal group that was dedicated to the illicit trafficking of migrants of different nationalities such as Ecuadorian, Pakistani, Indian, Afghan, and others, which facilitated their illegal departure from Panama, violating immigration border controls. border of Panama and Costa Rica.
It was verified that the defendants received transfers and shipments of money from different countries, which correspond to the places of origin and destination of these migrants.
