Panama’s ports, a booming route for cocaine trafficking
Mexican and Colombian cartels orchestrate a silent army of workers and corrupt officials who help to distribute the drug around the world — and increasingly, in Europe
Colombian and Mexican cartels control the drug trafficking business in Panama. They’ve turned the isthmus into a key corridor, a highway along which cocaine moves towards the United States, Europe, Asia and Africa. They use every resource available to them: the Panama Canal, seaports, free trade zones and even the Panama Canal Railway. If there’s a connection, they already have it on their radar. These criminal organizations have expanded their reach across various port terminals, becoming masters of shipyards and routes. At the same time, they have established operational branches on other continents to ensure the steady flow of their merchandise.
