In recognition of the work in the fight that the country maintains against trafficking in persons, the nine countries that make up the Regional Coalition against Trafficking in Persons and Illicit Smuggling of Migrants, chose Panama to preside over the Technical Secretariat against trafficking.
During the Board of Directors of the Commission against Trafficking in Persons, chaired by the Minister of Public Security, Juan Manuel Pino, it was reported that preventive work, through the contribution of citizens who anonymously denounced the crime of human trafficking, It was reflected in the nine operations in 2022, six of which were carried out by the National Police for calls to 104 and three through the Crime Stoppers platform www.tupista.org.
Minister Pino valued as the most positive the citizen perception that could be seen in “Operation Omega”, which thanks to a citizen report, through the Crime Stoppers platform, investigated and prosecuted a case of trafficking crime labor in Panama.
“With this strategic alliance that we have, with the support of security institutions, NGOs, and citizen complaints of this crime, we want to continue strengthening this trust and report labor and sexual trafficking. These are internationally recognized positive results,” added Minister Pino.
According to studies carried out by international organizations, for every victim who denounces, there are 20 more waiting to be rescued. For this reason, the director of the Office against Trafficking in Persons of the Ministry of Public Security, Daira Campos, urges citizens to continue with the complaints that have been useful to the authorities, by dismantling criminal organizations.
In the first ordinary session of the 2023 Board of Directors, it was said that in 2022 23 complaints were received for the crime of human trafficking, 11 sexual; eight labor, there were three irregular adoption, one for begging. Four people were sentenced for this crime, thanks to the operations “Galaxi”, “Ivory” and “Luz de Esperanza” and 18 traffickers have been arrested.
Information provided by the Judicial Investigation Directorate shows that in 2022, Colombia, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Panama were countries with cases for the preliminary identification of human trafficking. Of this, 48% are women, 9% men and 43% are children and adolescents.
At the meeting, concern was expressed about the 40% increase in minors with cases of human trafficking.
Regarding full identification of registered cases, 32% were victims; 24% were not victims and 44% possible victims of human trafficking.
The 2023 Board of Directors of the National Commission against Trafficking in Persons is made up of 16 entities, of which 14 are public and 2 private.
