Panama's Ministry of Security sends nearly 50 tons of cocaine to the US for destruction

On June 2, Panama's Ministry of Security (Minseg) announced that it had sent 49.3 tons of cocaine seized by the country's police during anti-drug operations to the United States for destruction to avoid the risk of air pollution in this Central American country.

Panama's Security Minister Juan Manuel Pino said on social network X that the record amount of cocaine was seized during the largest drug raids in history.

Panama is now carbon negative and has stopped open burning of narcotics. The country is still in the process of getting approval to operate a drug destruction facility. Given the potential for significant air pollution, Panama has asked the U.S. government for assistance in transporting and destroying the cocaine.

Previously, in June 2023, the Government of Panama issued a National Climate Change Program until 2050, which includes measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as support the agricultural sector to adapt to climate change.

Accordingly, to achieve this goal, the Government of Panama has increased the application of clean technology and transitioned to a green economy, especially in the fields of agriculture, infrastructure development and healthcare.

According to statistics in the first quarter of this year, Panamanian authorities seized more than 31.5 tons of narcotics, most of which was cocaine. In 2023 and 2022, the figures were 119 tons and more than 138.4 tons, respectively, much higher than previous years such as 81.7 tons in 2020, 86.8 tons in 2019 and 76.8 tons in 2018. Colon province had the largest amount of drugs seized, followed by Los Santos and Panamá.

Panama is currently considered a "bridge" for drug trafficking from South America, mainly Colombia, to the United States - the world's largest drug consumer.