Counternarcotics and Law Enforcement Country Program: Panama

Challenges

Panama is a major transit route for narcotics, arms, and aliens from South America. Because of its geographic location, developed infrastructure, sophisticated banking and trading sectors, and largely unguarded coastlines, Panama is an attractive site for money laundering, drug trafficking, illicit arms sales, stolen vehicle trafficking, and alien smuggling. Panama is the first line of defense for Central and North America against spillover of narcotics trafficking and terrorist activity from neighboring Colombia. An insecure border represents a threat to regional stability, and to the national security of the United States.

The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) funds support counternarcotics and crime programs in Panama. These programs seek to train national police and law enforcement agencies, provide technical assistance to develop law enforcement and judicial institutions engaged in fighting drug trafficking and money laundering, and prevent drug-related corruption. Efforts focus on making Panama a more effective ally in the struggle against narcotics trafficking and other transnational crimes. The United States promotes cooperation with U.S. counterpart entities and maintains excellent working relationships throughout the Panamanian law enforcement community.

U.S. Counternarcotics Goals

• Upgrade, support and train law enforcement institutions to improve their ability to intercept, investigate, and prosecute illegal drug trafficking and other transnational crimes.
  
  
• Strengthen Panama’s ability to disrupt maritime narcotics trafficking.
  
  
• Assist Panama in the implementation of domestic demand reduction programs.
  
  
• Improve Panama’s border security. 
  
  
• Ensure strict enforcement of existing Panamanian laws.

U.S. Programs

In FY 2005 the United States has designated $5.9 million dollars to be used in the fight against narcotics trafficking, money laundering and corruption in Panama. The United States and Panama enjoy an excellent cooperative relationship in regards to these issues. Specific programs relate to Border Control Enhancement, Law Enforcement Enhancement, Administration of Justice, demand reduction and anti-corruption initiatives.

National Police. The Panamanian National Police (PNP) is on the front line of efforts to stop the flow of drugs as near to the source as possible and to control land trafficking routes. Because Panama does not have a military, the PNP has both a national security and traditional police role. Narcotics Affairs Section (NAS) projects will provide funding to upgrade select PNP units by providing additional training and equipment. As in previous years, training will largely be through Mobile Training Teams and other "train the trainer" programs. The goal is to train select small units of the PNP. In all, the NAS intends to train 100-200 additional individuals for these units.

National Air Service. The flow of drugs through Panamanian air space is a significant concern. Funding will be provided to the National Air Service (SAN) to improve intelligence regarding aerial trafficking routes, improve flight safety, increase air mobility capabilities and internal management structures. The SAN will also be provided with long-term training on preventative maintenance procedures and operations for its fleet.

Border Enhancement. Effective control of Panama’s land, sea, and air ports is vital to controlling the illicit flow of narcotics and other crime. Assistance will be provided for the operation of border and interior checkpoints to deter trafficking in arms, narcotics and aliens through the country. This project will provide resources to support the Mobile Interdiction Unit, Tocumen Airport Task Force, and joint U.S. Government/Government of Panama (GOP) law enforcement interdiction operations in interior provinces and along the Costa Rican border.

National Maritime Service. GOP narcotics interdiction capabilities will be further enhanced through continued support for the professionalization of the National Maritime Service (SMN) and with equipment and training provided by the U.S. Coast Guard. In addition, Panama will benefit from increased maritime and port security, thereby providing an additional deterrent to migrant smuggling and trafficking in other contraband.

Port Security. In FY 2005, training and operational assistance will be provided for the Port Security System project. The project will be linked to preparing Panama for the deployment of the Container Security Initiative and will be expanded to to the Tocumen International Airport and the Colon Free Zone. This project will enhance the ability of the GOP to secure its borders and increase both land and sea interdiction capabilities.

Public Ministry Special Investigations Unit. Funding will be provided to the Public Ministry for training, commodities and operational support to the Vetted Special Investigations Unit (SIU). This will build on the successes of the first three years of the program and will contribute to the eventual assumption of all costs by the GOP.

Panamanian Customs Service. Operational assistance and training will be provided to Panamanian Customs officials for cargo inspections, investigations into black market Peso exchange, money laundering and infringements of intellectual property rights.

Technical Judicial Police. Training and commodities will be provided to the Technical Judicial Police (PTJ) counternarcotics unit and the central and regional forensics laboratories. This support will increase GOP capability to investigate, arrest, and prosecute Colombian drug kingpins and other organized criminals, and to interdict increased amounts of drugs and precursor chemicals.

Financial Investigations Unit. Training will be provided to prosecutors and the Financial Investigations Unit (FIU) to improve investigative skills and enable the prosecution of increasingly sophisticated money-laundering cases, in particular those linked to the Colon Free Trade Zone.

Anti-Corruption Program. This project will seek to assist Panama’s anti-corruption council, focusing on prevention activities through a "culture of lawfulness" project. In addition, NAS will improve the capabilities of investigators from the PTJ and prosecutors from the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office to successfully investigate and prosecute cases involving misuse of public funds. The program will be closely coordinated with efforts of U.S. Law Enforcement Agencies and U.S. Agency for International Development's governance project.

Law Enforcement Modernization. A law-enforcement training advisor has been hired to analyze the training needs of GOP law enforcement institutions and to develop short-, medium-, and long-term training strategies. The advisor is developing programs to increase the use of technology as a tool for fighting crime and will also encourage adoption of community policing practices. Special emphasis is being placed on addressing youth violence, with a focus on high-crime areas in Panama City and Colon.

Drug Awareness/Demand Reduction. FY 2005 funding will be used to develop strategies to deter drug use and evaluate the effectiveness of school anti-drug programs. Funding will also be provided to the Office for Drug Prevention Education to provide teachers and community leaders with anti-drug training and materials. This assistance will increase the awareness of the dangers of drug use in society.