AFP - Panama this year seized the record amount of 20 tons of drugs destined for Europe, hidden in containers and the authorities believe that drug trafficking is changing its routes to the Old Continent.

"Lately we have seen that the route (of the drug) has been leaving South America with a final destination to Europe," Luis De Gracia, chief commissioner of the second region of the National Aeronaval Service of Panama ( Senan), told AFP.

According to De Gracia, the Senan seized 20.2 tons of drugs hidden in containers so far this year, a figure six times higher than the nearly 3 tons seized in 2020.

Panamanian authorities suspect that organized crime takes advantage of the versatility of merchant ships to move drugs, mainly from South American ports in the Pacific to Panama, where they seek to leave for the Caribbean bound for Europe.

"It seems that the most coveted route is to Europe," De Gracia said at a press conference.

Panama is the entry into Central America for drugs that, coming from South America, are trying to reach the United States, the world's leading cocaine consumer. And now, according to the Panamanian authorities, drug trafficking would be increasing, through Panama, to Europe.

So far in 2021, Panama has broken all its annual records in drug seizures, despite the pandemic as there are still two months to go until the end of the year.

According to official figures, the Panamanian police have seized more than 100 tons in 2021, mainly cocaine, an amount that exceeds the 90 tons of drugs seized in 2019 and the 84 tons in 2020.