Panama Raids Ports Company Offices in Probe After Takeover

Panamanian authorities raided offices of the Panama Ports Company on Thursday, seizing documents as part of an investigation into allegations that the firm withheld operational information from government officials. The action, which targeted facilities in Panama City's Albrook area, came days after the government assumed control of two key ports at the Panama Canal's entrances, following a Supreme Court ruling that declared the company's concessions unconstitutional.

The Panama Ports Company, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings, had operated the Balboa port on the Pacific side and the Cristobal port on the Atlantic side since 1997. These facilities handle approximately 40 percent of the canal's container traffic, supporting thousands of jobs and serving as vital hubs for global shipping. Officials from the Prosecutor's Office, assisted by the National Police's Judicial Investigation Directorate and the Maritime Authority, entered the offices without prior notice and removed boxes of materials, according to reports from personnel on site. Prosecutor Azael Samaniego confirmed the search but declined to specify the nature of the ongoing criminal probe, stating...