The Ministry of Public Security (Minseg) will remodel a galley, in the district of Arraiján, to locate a drug incinerator.
The incinerator, which will be located in an area of the Cocolí sector, which was formerly used by some of the branches of the United States Army, is composed of two chambers.
In the first, the matter to be destroyed “The entire process will be monitored and monitored permanently by an automated system,” Minseg explained.
The budget amount for the construction of civil works and equipment is $1.5 million.
The proposed system for the incineration of narcotics and other confiscated drugs is a rotary chamber solid material incinerator whose treatment capacity is in the order of 300 to 500 Kg/h.
The project is justified by the needs of the Minseg to incinerate the drugs seized by its security forces.
In 2021, Panama seized a total of 128.7 tons of drugs in 565 operations against drug trafficking, a figure classified as “historic” by the highest authorities. In 2022, the figure was 128.6 tons of illicit substances.
In May, Panama made a third shipment of cocaine, this time 49 tons to the United States to proceed with its incineration.
In August 2022, 42.1 tons were sent, while last January 55.7 tons were transferred, which totals approximately 146 tons of drugs from seizures made in Panamanian territory.
The Minseg submitted the category II environmental impact study for approval and the project does not foresees a stage of abandonment because the prevention of the use of narcotics and drugs through seizures to criminal groups is
Prior to the end of the useful life of the incinerator(s) that are in use, the state must be paid by the relevant agencies for their replacement.
The documentation establishes that the Minseg as responsible for the activity must guarantee budgetary resources for an ideal and timely operation and maintenance throughout the operation stage, in such a way that the longer useful life of these systems and equipment is guaranteed, The Ministry of Security will replace it in the shortest possible time.
The town closest to the project is 2 kilometers away.