Panamanian authorities say they have seized more than 2 ½ tons of cocaine in their largest score of the year.
Anti-drug prosecutor Julio Villarreal said Monday that the drugs were buried in a cache near the coast and had to be dug up.
It brought the year’s total of cocaine seizures to 43 tons in Panama. The 2015 total was 58 tons.
An officer of Panama’s Air-Naval police force stands guard near packages of cocaine lined up at a naval base in Panama City, Monday, Oct. 17, 2016. According to authorities police seized more than 2400 packages of cocaine during the weekend, hidden in Panama’s Caribbean coast. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco)
Panama’s location puts it on the smuggling route for drugs coming from South America and heading to the United States.
Packages containing cocaine are displayed on the ground before a press conference at a naval base in Panama City, Monday, Oct. 17, 2016. According to authorities police seized more than 2400 packages of cocaine during the weekend hidden in Panama’s Caribbean coast. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco)
Panama’s Air-Naval police officers stand guard near packages of cocaine stacked in rows at a naval base in Panama City, Monday, Oct. 17, 2016. According to authorities police seized more than 2400 packages of cocaine during the weekend, hidden in Panama’s Caribbean coast. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco)
A Panama Air-Naval police officer members stacks packages of seized cocaine before a press conference at a naval base in Panama City, Monday, Oct. 17, 2016. According to authorities police seized more than 2400 packages of cocaine during the weekend, hidden in Panama’s Caribbean coast. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco)
Packages containing cocaine are displayed on the ground before a press conference at a naval base in Panama City, Monday, Oct. 17, 2016. According to authorities police seized more than 2400 packages of cocaine during the weekend, hidden in Panama’s Caribbean coast. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco)