Panama drug bust seizes Tauranga-bound cargo

The container was aboard a ship bound for Tauranga. File Image/SunLive.

A narcotics police taskforce in Panama has stopped a significant shipment of a 'presumed illicit substance” bound for the Port of Tauranga.

The Public Ministry/Prosecutor's Office of Panama confirms in a statement that the National Aeronaval Service of Panama (SENAN), in conjunction with the Aeronaval Operations Center of Panama (CROAN) and the drug Prosecutor's Office of both Colón and Guna Yala took seizure of items on a merchant ship on Friday, October 22.

The ship was transiting through Panama on its way from Manaus, Brazil, to the Port of Tauranga in New Zealand.

'We have managed to locate and secure a certain amount of packages of presumed illicit substance hidden in a container, on board a merchant ship in a port terminal in Colón,” says a statement from SENAN.

They report a total of 38 packages, containing a further 1254 packages of an 'alleged illicit substance”, have been seized.

SunLive have contacted New Zealand Police and the Port of Tauranga and any further information will be updated.

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1 comment

Excellent work!!

Posted on 26-10-2021 07:14 | By Bruja

Thank goodness for Police....everywhere. Well done! Stop that death meth coming into this country. I salute you Panama Police.


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