Panama has overhauled its prison contraband control system after the June 1 mass escape from La Joyita, forcing families to deliver packages just once a month through a single, heavily monitored facility. The Ministry of Government announced the change on August 14 through Resolution No. 122-R-119, which covers six prisons and aims to close the security holes that allowed weapons, drugs and other prohibited items to enter detention centers.
Under the policy, relatives must bring items to the former Doña Cecilia Orillac de Chiari women’s rehabilitation center on Avenida Domingo Díaz in Panama City. The site will accept packages from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., but only on dates assigned to each prison, according to the official schedule published by authorities.
Resolución ministerial Nº 123-R-120 sobre la entrega de insumos para personas privadas de libertad. pic.twitter.com/IO7uhfAcrh
— Ministerio de Gobierno de Panamá (@MinGobPma) August 14, 2026
How Prison Contraband Control Changes Package Delivery
The centralized process applies to La Joyita, La Joya, La Nueva Joya, El Renacer, Tinajitas and La Esmeralda. Instead of dropping off items directly at those facilities, authorized relatives must hand over everything at the old women’s center. Each package has to be placed in a transparent bag and clearly labeled with the inmate’s full name, national ID number, assigned prison and pavilion. The government also published a calendar assigning different days to each facility, and relatives must arrive on the correct date or their packages will not be accepted.
Officials said every package will undergo a security review, registration and strict inventory check before guards move it under custody to the corresponding prison. This procedure, the ministry explained, allows officials to track each bag from the moment it arrives until it reaches the prisoner, creating a clear chain of custody that did not exist in the previous decentralized system.
Artículos permitidos en los centros penitenciarios. pic.twitter.com/xKHboglLWp
— Ministerio de Gobierno de Panamá (@MinGobPma) August 14, 2026
Allowed Items and Strict Clothing Limits
The resolution introduces a single list of permitted goods, covering hygiene products, cleaning supplies, certain medications, clothing and personal articles. But the quantities and specifications are narrow. For male inmates, the rules allow up to three plain sweaters in colors designated by each prison, with round necks and short sleeves, no logos or messages. Men can also receive three pairs of plain shorts without pockets or reversible fabric, limited to light or pastel colors such as white, yellow, light blue or gray, plus three lycra underwear in pastel shades and one pair of thin-soled beach sandals.
For women, the permitted clothing list is similarly restricted. They may receive up to three shirts or T-shirts in the color assigned by their facility, again with round necks, short sleeves and no logos. Three pairs of jeans or cotton pants are allowed, but they must be a different color from those worn by security personnel. The list also includes up to four underwear pieces made of cotton or microfiber, including panties, wire-free bras, tops and camisole-style bras. One pair of thin-soled beach sandals and up to two packages of sanitary pads, with a maximum of 36 units, complete the authorized items.