Inmates Use Cats to Smuggle Drugs Into Prisons in Panama

Inmates inside a prison in Panama are using cats and other animals to smuggle small packages of drugs into the facility. The animals are conditioned to enter the prison expecting to be fed.

Se frustró el ingreso de presuntas sustancias ilícitas, entre ellas polvo blanco, hierba seca y hojas de “feeling”, dentro de una tela amarradas al cuello de gato en el centro penitenciario Nueva Esperanza, sustancias puestas a órdenes de la Fiscalía Adjunta de Droga. pic.twitter.com/rsAitqoEO4

— Dirección General del Sistema Penitenciario (@PenitenciarioPA) April 16, 2021

The most recent incident took place this weekend a the Nueva Esperanza jail north of Panama City, AFP reported. The cat had a piece of cloth tied around its neck. People on the outside used the string to tie small bags of drugs onto the cat. The practice, while ingenious in nature, is not uncommon in Panama. In previous cases, inmates used pigeons and even drones to smuggle drugs into various prison facilities.

Custodios decomisaron anoche un “dron” en La Nueva Joya, con 2 paquetes que en su interior mantenían polvo blanco, hierba seca y hojas “feeling”, operativos que buscan evitar el ingreso de sustancias y artículos prohibidos a los centros penitenciarios. https://t.co/SjYrYdqvoL pic.twitter.com/U50IlYlMCX

— Dirección General del Sistema Penitenciario (@PenitenciarioPA) April 15, 2021

According to information revealed by authorities in Panama, the cat has been taken to an adoption shelter.

Unidades de la Policía Nacional, luego de atrapar a un gato intentando ingresar drogas al centro penitenciario Nueva Esperanza, en Colón, entregaron al felino a la Fundación Adopta por Amor y Defensores de Animales, en donde recibirá atención y será dado en adopción. pic.twitter.com/IrhBmd183t

— Nex Noticias (@nexnoticias) April 16, 2021

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com. 

Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.