Panama: More than 1,300 kilos of cocaine seized in Caribbean

By Dialogo
August 21, 2012

PANAMA CITY – Panamanian authorities seized 1,362 kilos (3,003 pounds) of cocaine stacked in an abandoned speedboat in Cocoyé, a beach in the Caribbean, the National Aeronaval Service said on Aug. 20.
The alleged narco-traffickers abandoned the speedboat when they saw the police approaching, according to National Aeronaval Service Deputy Commissioner Jorge Yanis.
“There were no detainees because the suspects left during the night hours, jumping to the beach and leaving [the narcotics] behind,” Yanis said.
Authorities found 57 packages of cocaine in the boat and two other speedboats nearby. Yanis said the narcotics were probably bound for the United States.
The seizure occurred after Colombian authorities alerted Panama to a suspicious speedboat departing from the Urabá gulf, in the Colombian Caribbean, which borders Panama.
So far this year, Panamanian law agents have seized 22 tons of narcotics.
[AFP (Panama), 20/08/2012; Prensa.com (Panama), 20/08/2012]