According to an official source, Panama will strengthen surveillance at its border with Costa Rica to prevent the smuggling of plantain and other products entering the country.
The head of the Panamanian Authority for Food Safety (Aupsa), Roberto Rios, highlighted Guabito and Admiral in the province of Bocas del Toro as two entry points for the contraband and said he would meet with local producers to analyze the situation.
The idea is to form a surveillance group with producers to stop and report the smuggling of goods through the Sixaola River, which flows into the Caribbean, and is part of the border between Panama and Costa Rica.
The official said the National Customs Authority (ANA) was in charge of confiscating the contraband products and giving them to the Aupsa, the agency responsible for enforcing laws.
The Sixaola river can be navigated at all points, so there can be many points of entry for the illegal products, Rios said.
The Food Safety authority said it was following up on this situation so that the producers of the area were not affected.
