Panama drug squad chief arrested over cocaine haul
PANAMA CITY, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Panama's anti-drugs squad chief has been arrested in connection with the seizure of almost a tonne of cocaine, prosecutors said on Wednesday. Patricio Candanedo, Panama's public prosecutor for narcotics, said Rogelio Harris was arrested on Tuesday night and is being investigated over possible links to a consignment of 995 kg (2,200 lb) of cocaine seized earlier this month. "He faces charges of crimes against public health and the administration of justice," Candanedo told Reuters. "It is an investigation in a case of 995 kilograms of cocaine."(Editor's Note: Harris was the Chief of the Anti-Narcotics Division of the PTJ. He was investigated and taken down by the DIIP, the "other" investigative law enforcement agency in Panama. The PTJ has currently fallen out of favor with the government of Martin Torrijos, because the director of the PTJ is a left-over from the administration of Mireya Moscoso, and the law prevents the President from firing him. Only the Supreme Court (Judicial branch, also under the control of Arnulfistas) can force the Chief of the PTJ to step down. So, there's a fight going on between the DIIP and the PTJ, and the people who control the information, intelligence, and funding do not trust the PTJ at all. If enough corrput PTJ officials are taken down, sooner or later the chief will be forced out.)
He said Harris has led the drugs division for six months. Panama's southern neighbor Colombia is the world's biggest cocaine producer. Around 20 tonnes of cocaine have been seized in Panama so far this year, more than double the amount in 2004.
See: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N12534910.htm
And from La Prensa;
Jefe de Narcóticos de la PTJ está detenido
El jefe de Narcóticos de la Policía Técnica Judicial, Rogelio Harris, fue detenido ayer y está bajo investigación por su presunta vinculación con un cargamento de droga capturado este mes por los agentes antinarcóticos en la ciudad capital. Harris está detenido en la policía a órdenes de la DIIP.
Mediante un operativo encubierto se detectaron algunas evidencias que lo ligan al tráfico de la droga: llamadas telefónicas y anotaciones en una libreta en las que destacaban los nombres de los detenidos. La PTJ, mediante comunicado, reiteró que no apadrinará actos de corrupción, sin importar la jerarquía ni los años de servicio del funcionario.
José Otero
