Panamanian security forces intercepted a massive shipment of narcotics in the Pacific Ocean this Tuesday, November 11, setting a new national record for a single drug seizure. The operation, a coordinated effort between the Servicio Nacional Aeronaval (Senan) and the Drug Prosecution Unit, resulted in the confiscation of approximately 13.5 tons of illegal drugs with an estimated street value of $200 million. Ten foreign nationals were apprehended during the mission near San Jose Island.
The drugs were discovered aboard a tugboat navigating the central Pacific waters of Panama. Officials tracked the vessel as it moved southwest of the island, reportedly en route to destinations in Central America and Mexico. A total of 13,508 individual packages were found distributed across 579 large sacks inside the boat.
Unprecedented Seizure Details and Arrests
At a press conference, Prosecutor Julio Villarreal provided details on the historic bust. He confirmed the staggering valuation of the confiscated narcotics and outlined the next legal steps for the detained individuals.
We are facing the largest seizure ever recorded in our country, with the drugs valued at approximately $200 million, [Translated from Spanish] Villarreal stated. The ten detainees, all of foreign origin, will be brought before a guarantee judge in the coming hours.
The national aeronaval service reported that the tugboat crew attempted to flee upon spotting the Panamanian authorities. Their escape effort proved unsuccessful. The detained individuals include four Ecuadorians, three Nicaraguans, one Venezuelan, one Peruvian, and one Colombian national.
#PlanFirmeza | En una operación sin precedentes, nuestras unidades lograron el aseguramiento de 579 bultos con 11,562 paquetes de sustancia ilícita , marcando la mayor incautación en el país desde 2008. Fueron aprehendidos 10 hombres y decomisada al suroeste de Isla San José. pic.twitter.com/Z0bdqvOML6
— Servicio Nacional Aeronaval de Panamá (@aeronavalpanama) November 11, 2025
Shifting Trafficking Routes and Regional Pressure
This record-breaking seizure underscores a significant shift in narcotics trafficking patterns through the region. Panamanian authorities directly linked the operation to increased pressure from the United States in the Caribbean. That pressure has apparently forced criminal networks to move a larger portion of their operations into Panamanian territory.
Since September 2, United States warships have executed 16 separate operations, sinking multiple drug-laden vessels in Caribbean waters. This offensive forms part of a broader strategy to dismantle the operations of the Cartel of the Suns, a suspected criminal organization based in Venezuela. The sheer volume of this latest seizure suggests traffickers are testing new logistical corridors in response to these intensified interdiction efforts.
Historical data from the servicio nacional aeronaval shows this bust far surpasses previous records. The previous largest seizures involved just over five tons of cocaine each, one from a semi-submersible vessel near Bocas del Toro in February 2020 and another from a port container in 2024.
This operation marks a major victory for Panama in its ongoing battle against international drug trafficking. It also highlights the evolving challenges the nation faces as it becomes a primary transit point for narcotics moving north. The successful interdiction demonstrates the effectiveness of inter-agency coordination, even as it reveals the immense scale of the criminal enterprises operating in its waters.