Ten children rescued from a sexual exploitation ring in Panama
Steph Deschamps / February 4, 2022
Ten children in the hands of an alleged Panamanian sexual exploitation ring were rescued in a police operation that led to the arrest of three people in Panama and Costa Rica, the prosecutor's office announced Thursday.
The victims were between 4 and 16 years old and the people linked (to this case) are close relatives of these minors, said the Attorney General of Panama, Emeldo Marquez.
The three people arrested were helping to take the children from the town of Baru, located 525 kilometers southwest of Panama City, to the Costa Rican border where they were sexually exploited, according to Marquez.
In a statement, the prosecutor said that ten minors were rescued.
A police operation conducted by the Panamanian authorities in Baru led to the dismantling of this network.
Costa Rican authorities arrested two Panamanians and a Costa Rican in San Jorge and Laurel, two towns on the border. They face sentences ranging from 20 to 30 years in prison.