more than $12.9 million were seized in seven major anti-drug operations against local and international drug trafficking, the authorities of the Attorney General's Office revealed at a Tuesday, January 4,  press conference

According to the superior prosecutor of the Homicide and Femicide Section of the Metropolitan Prosecutor's Office, Rafael Baloyes, those raids were in the metropolitan area.

The report highlighted that after these proceedings, a total of 106 people were apprehended, including Panamanians and foreigners.

Among the more complex operations carried out by the Homicide and Femicide Section in the Metropolitan area were “Aries”, “Aquiles”, “Tridente” and “Jerónimo”.

The people apprehended in the "Jerónimo" operation maintain an alleged relationship with the criminal group called "Afghanistan", which is allegedly linked to the "Bagdad" gang.

In the “Jerónimo” operation, 23 raids were carried out and six people were apprehended.

Exemplary  sentences
Baloyes highlighted that the Homicide and Femicide Section obtained exemplary sentences and several "with the maximum penalty of 50 years in prison", in cases that occurred in Colón, Bocas del Toro, Cerro Azul, and Río Abajo.

In addition, during 2021 more than 2,000 people were convicted of drug-related crimes throughout the country.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor Against Organized Crime conducted more than 300 investigations for crimes of extortion, smuggling of migrants, arms and explosives trafficking, human trafficking, kidnapping, and organized crime.