A total of 19 people were detained in a binational operation between the Republic of Panama and Costa Rica, in which 20 raids were carried out to dismantle a criminal network dedicated to crimes against humanity in the form of International Migrant Smuggling.
The operation, called Firmness, was carried out on the morning of Tuesday, December 13, in Central Panama, West Panama and East Panama, where the National Police through the National Directorate of Police Intelligence in coordination with the Public Ministry, apprehended 16 people. , among them 13 men and 3 women, including 6 public officials, who work in the National Migration Service.
In this Binational operation in Costa Rica, three people were arrested.
According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, this criminal group with international connections charged each migrant (of Indian, Cuban and Nepali origin) between 3,000 dollars for moving them illegally, by air through the Tocumen International Airport as transit and through the collaboration of public officials allowed illegal entry into our territory without the corresponding immigration procedures.
They highlighted that each member of this criminal structure had entry, transfer and lodging roles, with the same purpose; receive a remuneration for the entry and transfer to Costa Rica, until arriving in the United States.
In this investigation that began in November 2021, technological equipment, credit cards, bank receipts were seized, in addition to 5 seized vehicles and $2,260 in cash.
The apprehended will be presented in the next few hours before a guarantee judge, for their due judicialization.
