Panama Investigates Drug Disappearance
The Panamanian justice system continued delving into the complicated investigation on Tuesday, of important National Marine Service (SMN) officials allegedly connected with drug trafficking.

The top drug prosecutor arrested SMN Patrimonial Goods chief Eduardo Morales to obtain details relating to Perseus V, on which cocaine was discovered in a January 2006 raid.

Ex SMN director Ricardo Traad and current operations chief Edilberto Luna were also arrested and charged with crimes against public health and money laundering for the loss of a ton of cocaine in that operation.

A ton of cocaine was confiscated during the operation, but another ton, which crew members said was hidden, was never found, nor were the 1,000 tons of scraps the ship was carrying.

Attorneys for ex director Traad denied the charges against him and pointed out that US officials checked the ship before handing it over to Panamanian authorities.

In addition, the announcement of the missing ton of drugs was made a year after the arrest of Perseus V's captain.