Panama seizes 1,790 drug packages on a vessel, arrests 3 Nicaraguans

Panamanian authorities have arrested three Nicaraguan nationals after intercepting a vessel carrying a significant drug shipment in the Pacific Ocean. The operation, conducted by the anti-drug prosecutor's office and the National Aeronaval Service (Senan), resulted in the seizure of 1,790 packages of illicit substances.

The boat was intercepted southwest of Isla Jicarón, off the coast of the central Veraguas province. This latest bust is part of ongoing efforts by Panamanian law enforcement to combat drug trafficking in the region. The authorities have not yet identified the arrested individuals.

This seizure follows another major drug bust on May 26, when 1,096 packages were confiscated in Panamanian Pacific waters near the Costa Rican border. Panamanian officials report that drug packages typically weigh around one kilogram, with cocaine being the most frequently seized substance. So far this year, authorities have confiscated over 34 tons of drugs, a stark indicator of the persistent challenges in combating illicit trade through the country.