At least 23 people apprehended during the ‘Fortaleza’ operation, carried out last Wednesday, June 15, by the Public Ministry and the National Police with the support of the National Aeronaval Service (Senan), were charged with the alleged commission of crimes related with drugs.
The imputation of those involved occurred after the Specialized Prosecutor for Drug-Related Crimes supported the elements of conviction before a Judge of Guarantees.
The First Drug Prosecutor’s Office began the investigations of this case in 2019, with the follow-up of a criminal group dedicated to receiving illicit substances from Colombia, to store it, guard it and its subsequent transfer to Costa Rica and Central America.
The Public Ministry, represented by prosecutor Joseph Diaz, upheld the evidence that allowed charges to be filed for nine people for conspiracy to commit drug-related crimes, another nine for money laundering and five for both crimes.
The other two people apprehended during the development of the operation were taken to a hearing by the Veraguas Regional Prosecutor’s Office, charging them with the crime of illegal possession of a firearm.
Regarding the precautionary measures, the judge of guarantees Josefa Monfante, in one of the courtrooms of Plaza Ágora, decided to apply six provisional arrests, six house deposits and 11 periodic notifications, despite the fact that the Public Ministry requested provisional arrests for all; Given this, the Prosecutor’s Office agreed at the end of two days to file an appeal.
