The Government of Panama sent 49 tons of cocaine to the United States for incineration, the country’s Security Minister, Juan Manuel Pino, reported on Thursday.

Nine security officials accompanied the shipment to certify, according to Pino, the destruction of the drug, confiscated, according to the official, in operations carried out in Panama.

The 49 tons of cocaine correspond to seizures carried out in 2021 and 2022, the minister explained. So far this year, the authorities have seized at least 36 tons of drugs in more than 135 operations.

Pinto reported that the Government is working on a project to have its own incinerator, and thus prevent open burning or transport the drug to the United States.