Reporting on criminal incidents, investigations, and law enforcement responses across Panama. Stories focus on facts, community impact, and safety developments.
Police dismantled a clandestine bunker in La Chorrera and seized weapons and drugs, with detainees and evidence turned over to authorities. The operation highlights ongoing efforts against crime in Panama Oeste.
Police in Vacamonte, West Panama, seized 5,330 rounds of high-caliber ammunition, five grenades and other accessories during a coordinated search with prosecutors. The find highlights ongoing efforts to remove weapons and explosives from circulation.
Seven people were injured when a bus and a truck crashed on the road to Chepo in eastern Panama. The most serious cases were taken to Hospital Irma Lourdes Tzanetatos, while minor injuries were sent to Chepo Regional Hospital.
Seven people were injured when a Chepo–Panama bus collided with a water truck in eastern Panama, and firefighters used hydraulic tools to free a trapped driver. The crash adds to growing concern over serious road accidents in Panama East.
British authorities seized nearly five tons of cocaine hidden in banana boxes inside a container that had departed Panama and was bound for the Netherlands. The case highlights Panama’s continued exposure to drug-trafficking networks using commercial shipping routes.
Two people were detained and a firearm was seized during a police checkpoint operation in La Chorrera, Panama Oeste. The intervention targeted a vehicle and its occupants at a control point.
Panama’s National Police seized 5,330 rounds of ammunition, five grenades and other accessories during a search in Vacamonte, West Panama. Authorities handed the evidence to investigators after the coordinated operation.
Online scams are becoming a major crime concern in Panama, reflecting the country’s growing exposure to digital fraud. The shift underscores how everyday internet use is changing the nature of public safety risks.
Panama City is facing renewed concern over shootings and neighborhood insecurity after a man was murdered late Thursday and taken to a hospital without vital signs. The case highlights ongoing public safety worries in the capital.
A 53-year-old man was ordered held in provisional detention after being charged in the disappearance of a 7-year-old girl in La Villa de Los Santos. The case is being handled as child abduction under Panama’s criminal process.
A 53-year-old man was ordered into provisional detention after being accused of abducting a 7-year-old girl in Los Santos. The case now continues through Panama’s criminal courts.
A man accused of child abduction in Los Santos has been ordered held in provisional detention as the criminal case moves forward. The ruling highlights the seriousness of offenses involving minors in Panama’s justice system.
Brazil has announced a new partnership with the United States to target arms and drug trafficking, after seizing more than 1,100 illegal weapons imported from the U.S. in the past year. The move could have wider implications for regional security across Latin America, including Panama.
Panama’s comptroller interrupted an anti-corruption interview involving auditors tied to the case against former vice president José Gabriel Carrizo, prompting a formal investigation. The clash deepens a months-long dispute between the Comptroller’s Office and the Attorney General’s Office over corruption probes.
A girl reported missing in Los Santos was found after a search across La Rueda and other parts of the province. The case involved a man known to the family.
Police in Vacamonte seized more than 5,300 rounds of ammunition, five grenades and accessories during a coordinated operation with prosecutors. The discovery raises concerns about illegal weapons storage in Panamá Oeste.
Panama’s Comptroller General’s Office denied interfering in the corruption probe against former Vice President Gabriel Carrizo, saying its presence at the prosecutor’s office was only to check on auditors being interviewed. The move drew criticism from lawyers and civic groups, who warned it could affect due process.
Panama Customs seized 1,400 boxes of suspected smuggled cigarettes in an operation tied to a new tracking mechanism. The driver of a van remains detained as authorities pursue the case.
Panama’s CSS is investigating fraudulent child support schemes and whether they were carried out by several people or through an organized system. The inquiry focuses on how the alleged acts were structured and coordinated.
Online scams are becoming a major regional security threat, and Panama is being warned to prepare for a sharper rise in digital fraud. Experts say criminals are increasingly using AI, phishing, and fake identities to target victims remotely.