---
title: "Senan Seizes 680 kg of Cocaine Near Punta Coco in Las Perlas"
date: 2026-03-25
author: ""
url: https://panamadaily.news/2026/03/25/senan-680-kg-drug-seizure-punta-coco/
categories:
  - "Crime"
  - "News"
tags:
  - "drug seizure"
  - "Las Perlas"
  - "narcotics trafficking"
  - "Punta Coco"
  - "Senan"
---

# Senan Seizes 680 kg of Cocaine Near Punta Coco in Las Perlas

## What Happened

An operation by the Servicio Nacional Aeronaval (Senan) resulted in the seizure of 680 kilograms of cocaine found aboard a boat near the island of Punta Coco in the Archipiélago de Las Perlas. The patrol vessel intercepted a small craft operated by two men and discovered several bales of drugs during an onboard verification.

## Operation Details

Senan agents had been monitoring the boat because of suspicious movements as it headed toward the coast. After conducting an approach and inspection, they located the illicit cargo and detained the two individuals who were operating the vessel. The drugs and the detainees were handed over to the Drug Prosecutor’s Office for the start of investigations to determine the origin of the shipment and its intended destination.

## Background

La Prensa reports that in 2026 Senan has carried out 24 operations resulting in a total of 20.5 tons of drugs seized so far this year. The seizures have been concentrated in several coastal and island areas, including Playa Bongo on Isla del Rey in the Archipiélago de Las Perlas, Santa Isabel, Turtle Cay and Miramar in the Costa Arriba of Colón, and other parts of the central Caribbean and central Pacific.

Authorities have also reported multiple drug seizures involving shipping containers transiting through Pacific and Atlantic ports. Investigations are underway into local gangs suspected of contaminating containers with narcotics destined for European ports.

## What This Means

The latest interception near Punta Coco reinforces Senan’s role in maritime security and anti-narcotics efforts around Panama’s coastlines and archipelagos. The handover of the detainees and evidence to the Drug Prosecutor’s Office starts a judicial and investigative process that will aim to trace the shipment’s origin and distribution network.

The recurring pattern of seizures in island and coastal locations, as well as in maritime shipping containers, points to continued use of Panama waters and ports as transit routes for illegal drugs. Ongoing investigations into alleged local involvement in contaminating commercial cargo underline the complexity of maritime and port-related trafficking challenges facing Panamanian authorities.