Panama dismantles Bagdad Santa Eduvige drug ring with arrests in Panama and Spain

Panamanian authorities have announced a major blow against organized crime with the dismantling of a drug trafficking network linked to the Bagdad Santa Eduvige gang. The operation resulted in the capture of two alleged key leaders: alias “Rujito” in Panama and alias 'el abogado' Jean Carls Valencia in Spain.

Jaime Fernández, Director of the National Police, stated that these individuals were considered the principal figures of the criminal cell operating from the Santa Eduvige sector in Tocumen. The group allegedly maintained connections with criminal organizations in Europe to facilitate international drug trafficking. Fernández acknowledged that the operation significantly impacts the group's structure but warned that investigations are ongoing, with other members still at large.

The Bagdad Santa Eduvige gang is described as a branch of the larger Bagdad criminal structure, known as one of Panama's most prominent gangs. According to police, this organization functions as a network of cells distributed across various sectors, with eight main groups identified, from which other gangs or subdivisions emerge.

During the investigation, it was determined that the arrested leaders frequently traveled between Panama and Europe to coordinate drug trafficking operations with foreign criminal organizations. Alias 'el abogado,' apprehended in Madrid, was reportedly responsible for negotiating drug shipments to Europe, including the "contamination" of shipping containers both within ports and in consolidation areas outside maritime terminals.

In addition to drug trafficking, the structure is also implicated in homicides and other violent crimes in Panama. The capture of Valencia in Madrid was the result of a coordinated effort involving the National Police, Interpol, and the Spanish National Police, following an international red notice. The extradition process for Valencia has commenced and is expected to take between four to six months due to judicial procedures.