National Police in Panama located a minor with an active international AMBER Alert during coordinated security operations in Chiriquí province. Authorities confirmed the discovery on Monday following a cross-border investigation initiated by Costa Rican officials. The child was found in the Chorchita sector of the Las Lomas district, though police have not disclosed the minor’s condition or the specific circumstances of the recovery.
This successful location resulted from international police cooperation, according to an official statement from the National Police. The operation forms part of a broader security initiative targeting criminal activity across multiple Panamanian provinces. Police departments from both nations coordinated intelligence sharing to track the missing child across the border.
“The finding was achieved as part of international cooperation actions,” a National Police spokesperson stated. [Translated from Spanish]
Authorities have transferred the child to protective custody while investigators continue gathering details about the case. The international AMBER Alert system proved crucial in facilitating the rapid information exchange between Costa Rican and Panamanian law enforcement. This marks another successful cross-border operation between the neighboring countries in recent months.
Multiple Arrests and Seizures in Chiriquí Province
Beyond the missing child case, police operations across Chiriquí yielded significant law enforcement results. Officers apprehended fifteen individuals connected to various crimes including domestic violence, aggravated robbery, and sexual offenses. The coordinated raids targeted multiple districts throughout the western province.
In David and Bugaba districts, police executed search warrants that enabled the seizure of land documents and recovery of a previously stolen vehicle. During these operations, officers also located a nine-year-old child who was subsequently placed in safe conditions. The separate discovery highlights the multiple protective outcomes from the police actions.
Law enforcement agents discovered mobile phones and bank checks allegedly connected to illicit activities within an abandoned residence in Los Algarrobos, Dolega. Meanwhile in Alanje district, police arrested a foreign national found in possession of 292 rounds of various caliber ammunition, illicit substances, and a pellet weapon. These seizures represent significant disruptions to local criminal operations.
Veraguas Province Anti-Drug Operations
Parallel operations unfolded in Veraguas province where authorities conducted twenty separate missions targeting micro-drug trafficking networks. These coordinated actions resulted in twenty-one apprehensions along with the seizure of cash and suspected prohibited substances. The week-long operations focused on disrupting neighborhood-level drug distribution.
Judicial authorities have already convicted fifteen of those detained, while the remaining individuals face precautionary measures ordered by the court system. Panama’s Attorney General’s office indicated these operations reflect an ongoing strategy to dismantle small-scale drug operations that directly impact community safety. Police documentation shows similar operations have increased by approximately eighteen percent compared to the previous quarter.
Law enforcement officials describe these coordinated provincial operations as part of a “zero tolerance” approach to criminal activity. The simultaneous actions across multiple provinces demonstrate improved inter-agency coordination and intelligence sharing. Police commanders have indicated these types of targeted operations will continue throughout the final quarter of the year.