Immigration Has Deported 719 Thus Far in 2007

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Colombia's Department of Administrative Security (DAS) received five Colombians this past weekend who had been arrested by Panamanian National Police and deported by Panama's Direction of Immigration and Naturalization for having overstayed their tourist visas. The National Air Service (SAN) flew the four men and one woman from Puerto Obaldía in Panama to Capurganá in Colombia where the DAS received them. Authorities detained and deported the Colombians because they had overstayed their tourist visas. The Direction of Immigration in a press release "informs foreigners who remain in Panama illegally that they will be sanctioned, and strongly suggests to those who are currently illegal in Panama with expired tourist visas, that they should perform whatever transactions are required in order to be allowed to stay legally stay in the country." So far in 2007 Immigration has arrested and deported 719 people, most of them Colombians, Peruvians, Ecuadorians and Chinese. According to the press release, "Immigration authorities remain watchful for those who are in the national territory in illegal or expired status."

Copyright 2007 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. As usual, go ahead and use whatever you want as long as you credit the source. Salud.