Panama’s role as a sophisticated drug trafficking hub, not a mere cocaine transit point, was revealed when the country was named the logistical center for the recently dismantled “Super Cartel.”
In November, 49 people were arrested in Dubai, Spain, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands for helping a so-called super cartel of leading Irish, Italian, Bosnian, and Dutch-Moroccan drug traffickers.
Following the fall of many of the group’s key players, Panama’s attorney general, Javier Caraballo, revealed that Panamanian citizens inside the country had been helping the drug traffickers based in Dubai send drugs to Europe. Additionally, Spanish authorities stated that another Panamanian individual was based in Dubai and maintained contacts with members of the drug trafficking network in different countries.