Specialised teams against environmental and tax crimes in Panama

Organised crime is one of the main challenges in Latin America. Criminal organisations operate in many countries and cross borders, so institutional coordination is essential to be able to confront them.  Specialised operational groups make it possible to provide a coordinated response to cases in which a single institution does not have the capacity to act independently.  

The programme EL PAcCTO, financed by the European Union and with the FIIAPPparticipating in its management, has supported the constitution of two Specialised Multidisciplinary Teams in Panama. This initiative will make it possible to harmonise procedures in investigations and prosecutions and to address them comprehensively with specialised personnel in different areas.   

One of the Specialised Multidisciplinary Teamsis focused on fighting tax crime. It will work jointly to combat organised crime in cases related to crimes such as tax fraud or money laundering. This specialised group also involves institutions such as the Panamanian National Attorney General’s Office, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Public Security and the Financial Analysis Unit. The exchange of experiences, coordination and joint work will make it possible to find synergies between these institutions to strengthen the fight against organised crime.   

The second Specialised Multidisciplinary Team will address the fight against environmental crime, a growing criminal phenomenon in the region. These illegal activities cause serious damage to the biodiversity of the region and are one of the main sources of income for criminal organisations. To address them, work will be done on a joint response of the investigation units of the security corps and forces, the Prosecutor and the Ministry of Environment.