Panama To Deploy Special
Force On Colombian
Border
PANAMA CITY (Reuters) -
Panama will create an
armed border protection
force to combat the flow
of cocaine and weapons
and to catch leftist
guerrillas along its
jungle border with
Colombia, the government
said on Friday.
Panama is a major
transit point for South
American cocaine on its
way to North America and
Europe, but a steep rise
in drug-related violence
means the force of some
200 agents is crucial,
Justice Minister Daniel
Delgado said.
The force will take over
border guard duties from
regular police based in
the villages of the
Darien region along the
frontier with Colombia.
Panama is also
considering integrating
naval and air force
operations to guard its
coast, and has asked the
United States to provide
radar cover.
Up to 80 percent of
Colombian cocaine bound
for the United States
and Europe passes
through Panama and along
its coasts, local
anti-drug officials say.
"There are hundreds of
speed boats (carrying
cocaine or cash) passing
through Panama," Delgado
told reporters. "This
year we estimate 1,400
tonnes of cocaine will
pass through Panama.
Last year we captured 70
tonnes."
Panama is one of Latin
America's safest
countries but
kidnappings are on the
rise, numbering 23 last
year after just three in
2006. According to
Delgado, half of those
kidnappings ended with
the victims being
murdered and most were
related to drug disputes
or gambling debts.
The remote and rugged
Darien area has long
been dominated by armed
groups, illegal loggers
and smugglers
Panama captured six
rebels from the
Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia, or
FARC, at sea near the
Darien in February.
"As the (Mexican and
Colombian) governments
intensify the fight
against cartels, the
risk exists that cartels
look for a safe haven.
Panama could be an
attractive option," he
said.
While the force could
help bring down
kidnappings, it is not
expected to affect the
flow of cocaine.
"There are other means
of getting drugs
through. We have seen
the increased use of
semi-submersibles, for
example," said John
Walsh of the Washington
Center on Latin America,
referring to the
increasing use by drug
gangs of homemade
submarines. |
