Reporting on criminal incidents, investigations, and law enforcement responses across Panama. Stories focus on facts, community impact, and safety developments.
A weekend shooting in Colón left one person dead and a minor injured, with five adolescents detained in connection to the case. The incident adds to growing concern over youth violence and repeated homicides in the province.
A shooting outside a concert venue in Chitré left one man dead and two young people injured, forcing the immediate cancellation of El Tachi’s show. Police later located the vehicle used by the attackers as investigators examine a possible criminal dispute.
Panama’s organized crime landscape is dominated by rival gang federations that control territory, ports, prisons, and drug routes. The country’s geography keeps it central to cocaine flows toward Europe and North America.
Panama’s gangs are increasingly operating as fragmented criminal networks tied to international drug trafficking, police say. Authorities are also tracking maritime routes that move narcotics through the country’s coasts and ports.
Panama’s coasts are under pressure from drug-trafficking networks using fast boats, fishing-style vessels, and container shipments. Authorities have seized 31.4 tons of drugs so far in 2026 as traffickers keep changing routes.
Panama now has fewer identified gang groups, but police say the threat has become more fragmented, violent and tied to international drug routes. Authorities point to eight dominant criminal structures driving homicides, extortion and territorial conflict.
Three people were arrested after a shooting in El Chorrillo that injured two victims, including one suspect who was under house arrest with an electronic monitor. The case has renewed debate in Panama over judicial measures for alleged gang-linked offenders.
At least 25 people, including six police officers, were killed in two gunmen attacks on Honduras’s coast, deepening concerns over regional security. The violence could also affect migration and trafficking patterns across Central America.
Three people were detained after a shooting in El Chorrillo, and police seized two pistols, ammunition, and magazines. The case underscores Panama City’s ongoing struggle with illegal firearms and neighborhood violence.
Panamanian authorities arrested seven people in eastern Panama in a crackdown on a Bagdad gang cell tied to cocaine trafficking. The operation also highlighted alleged political and business links supporting the group.
Prosecutor Patricia Ossa Sánchez was laid to rest in Calidonia as Panama’s justice community mourned her killing. Her former partner remains in preventive detention and faces homicide and robbery charges.
Police arrested seven suspected members of a Bagdad gang offshoot in eastern Panama during raids in Tocumen, Pacora and San Miguelito. Authorities say the group is linked to robberies, assaults and homicides, and remains part of a wider gang network under close surveillance.
Panamanian authorities arrested a presumed gang leader and six alleged members of Bagdad-Santa Eduviges after a long-running investigation in Tocumen. The case underscores ongoing security concerns in a key district of Panama City.
Trial has begun in Panama against former National Security Council agents accused of running illegal surveillance during the Martinelli presidency. The case revives one of the country’s most politically charged corruption-and-spying scandals.
A U.S. citizen wanted on corruption and money-laundering allegations was detained in Barú, Chiriquí, pending extradition to the United States. The case highlights Panama’s role in regional cooperation on financial crime.
Panama’s National Police are expanding their anti-crime strategy with drones, elite anti-gang units, anti-drug boats and 1,000 new officers. The plan targets gang violence tied to narcotics trafficking and territorial disputes.
A new suspected cable-theft case in Arraiján has put Metro Line 3 security back in focus as authorities investigate another incident tied to the project. The repeated theft attempts raise concerns about delays, added costs and protection of Panama’s biggest transit works.
Defense teams in serious injury cases often move quickly to challenge evidence, question medical claims, and reduce liability. For Panama readers, the key lesson is that strong documentation and early preparation can shape the outcome of a claim.
At least 16 people were killed in two attacks in northern Honduras, including one during a police raid and another on a palm farm. The violence highlights the country’s deep security crisis and regional migration pressures.
Panama extradited a Cuban national to the United States to face sex trafficking, extortion, cyberstalking, and related federal charges. The case highlights Panama’s role in cross-border law enforcement and anti-trafficking cooperation.