INTERPOL Washington Advances Panama’s Ability to Disrupt Transnational Criminal Gangs and Terrorists

Under Project TERMINUS, an INTERPOL Washington team recently deployed to Panama City, Panama, to deliver and install critical equipment and technology designed to assist Panamanian authorities in detecting and interdicting transnational criminals and terrorists before they reach our borders. This latest deployment builds on a previous mission in June 2024 where a TERMINUS team integrated INTERPOL data into Panama’s newly established Border Information and Analysis Targeting Unit (BIATU).

“Project TERMINUS reflects our commitment to forward-deploy U.S. capabilities and build out trusted partnerships in key locations that enhance global security,” said INTERPOL Washington’s Acting Deputy Chief of Staff Keith Hood, who oversees the program. “This project with our Panamanian partners serves as a model of success for TERMINUS. By equipping one of our closest allies against cartels with the tools and training they need to disrupt transnational crime at its source, we helped protect our own communities, the homeland, and the region at large.”

The visit was conducted in close coordination with the U.S. Department of Justice’s International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) and funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism. The team participated in operational briefings with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Panamanian National Police (PNP), Panama Immigration, and the Panamanian Passport Authority. During the visit, the team formally donated essential equipment to the PNP and to Panama’s immigration fusion center (UPAPF), reinforcing operational capacity and advancing joint security objectives.

The team also saw firsthand how SENAFRONT—the Panamanian border security agency—has connected to and is actively utilizing INTERPOL’s I-24/7 system, marking a major milestone in the country's border integration efforts.

Project TERMINUS continues to serve as a vital tool for strengthening international police cooperation, disrupting transnational threats, and promoting shared regional security.