Panama and Colombia Jointly Combat Clan del Golfo in Darién Jungle

In the dense Darién Gap jungle, straddling the Colombia-Panama border, a complex operation is underway to dismantle the operations of the Clan del Golfo. Colombian military forces are actively eradicating approximately 500 hectares of coca crops on their side of the border, with Panamanian police providing crucial security against potential attacks from armed groups.

"We are trying to combat them (the coca fields) with all our manpower, with all our mechanisms, conducting a joint operation with Panama's forces, but it is very complex," stated Sub-lieutenant Miguel Vega of Colombia's National Police Anti-Narcotics Directorate. The Binational Post of Alto Limón, one of three along the 266-kilometer jungle border, hosts 19 Colombian officials working alongside Panamanian agents.

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We are trying to combat them (the coca fields) with all our manpower, with all our mechanisms, conducting a joint operation with Panama's forces, but it is very complex.

The primary target is the Clan del Golfo, identified as Colombia's largest criminal organization. This group is involved not only in drug trafficking but also in migrant smuggling, illegal mining, and extortion. "No one engages in illicit activities there (in the Darién) without the control of the Clan del Golfo from Colombian territory," explained Héctor De Sedas Cedeño, deputy director general of Panama's National Border Service (Senafront).

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Black Hawk helicopters arrive, bringing a crew of 15 to 20 officials, who come with glyphosate and eradicate in the sector.

Aerial reconnaissance reveals the coca fields are mere kilometers from the Alto Limón post. "Black Hawk helicopters arrive, bringing a crew of 15 to 20 officials, who come with glyphosate and eradicate in the sector," Vega described. The remote, difficult-to-access terrain, coupled with the presence of armed groups, makes eradication efforts challenging. "So that's where our Panamanian brothers come in and help us with security. While we carry out the eradication mission, they provide cover against these armed groups, which are from the Clan del Golfo, as I told my general," Vega added.

Both Senafront and the Colombian National Police emphasized that another key objective of the binational posts is to prevent the Clan del Golfo from expanding into Panama. This joint security initiative highlights the shared threat posed by organized crime across the border.

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So that's where our Panamanian brothers come in and help us with security. While we carry out the eradication mission, they provide cover against these armed groups, which are from the Clan del Golfo, as I told my general.