Panama saves the US millions in fight against drugs

03-02-2009 | RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ

Rrodriguez@laestrella.com.pa

A government official believes the US is not helping Panama as much as it should

Panama Star PANAMA. Panamanian authorities have saved the United States at least $80 million with the constant drug busts, claimed the vice-minister of Government and Justice, Severino Mejia.

Mejia argues that the support received by the US government is not proportional to the arduous work by Panamanian authorities to tackle international narco trafficking.

The Vice-Minister explained that a Panamanian diplomat held a study in the US which states that for every ton of cocaine that does not enter the northern country, the government saves a $1 million.

“The cost of drug trafficking does not only include equipment and training for security officers, but also care for drug addicts. Everything adds up to a lot of money,” he explained.

According to Mejia, if we multiply the amount of drugs seized in Panama by a million, we get more than $80 million saved.

Official reports show that from 2002 to 2008 Panamanian authorities seized more than 400 tons of cocaine, mainly heading to the US, and the Caribbean and European markets.