Moderators Moderator_03 Posted September 11 Moderators Share Posted September 11 Quote 600 Large Beams Destined for the Bridge of Americas Have Disappeared A view of the MOP courtyard in Farfán where the beams disappeared is shown above. September 10, 2024 The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office is investigating the disappearance of 600 large beams that were intended for the rehabilitation of the emblematic Bridge of the Americas, the Public Prosecutor’s Office reported on Tuesday, September 10, 2024. The investigation arose after a complaint was filed by the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) for the alleged commission of the crime of embezzlement. The beams, whose total value amounts to $3 million, were stored in a MOP yard located in the Farfán area. According to official records, the last confirmation of the existence of these structures on the site dates back to October 2023, during the previous government (2019-2024). During that five-year period, the State acquired the beams as part of a contract awarded to the construction company MCM Global to carry out the rehabilitation of the bridge. However, before the end of the administration, the scope of the project was modified, which led to the decision not to use them in the work. The Minister of Public Works, José Luis Andrade, and the legal advisor of the entity, Ricardo Icaza, revealed in the National Assembly that the formal complaint was filed with the Public Prosecutor’s Office on September 5. https://newsroompanama.com/2024/09/10/600-large-beams-destined-for-the-bridge-of-americas-have-disappeared/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted September 14 Author Moderators Share Posted September 14 Quote Images Reveal Disappearance of Beams One Day After Elections September 13, 2024 Above is the Public Works (MOP) yard in Farfán, where the $3 million dollars’ worth of beams intended for the repair of the iconic Las Américas Bridge were stored. Police are tracking those involved in the disappearance of the beams, a day after the elections through satellite images that reveal key details. Satellite technology has detected unusual movement in the warehouse of the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) in Farfán, where the beams were stored. Satellite images revealed the removal of the metal beams in an event that appears to have taken place in secret, with activities beginning just one day after the general elections on May 5. Oscar Diaz, an engineer specializing in this technology and manager of the Panamanian company GeoSolutions Consulting, explained in an interview how this case was followed up. “Our company works in Panama and Central America in the analysis of satellite images, offering solutions for various industries,” said Diaz. Díaz explained that his company collaborates with Maxar, an American company that operates and manufactures satellites. Maxar constantly takes images of the entire planet, generating a vast archive of data. “The images are more than just photos, they are data that allow us to perform visual and digital analyses to detect changes in the environment,” he explained. Once aware of the national interest surrounding the disappearance of the beams in the MOP warehouse, Díaz and his team accessed the Maxar platform to review the historical images of the area. Through this tool, they can “travel in time” and view photos from any date from 2005 to the present. Díaz and his team began analyzing images in January of this year. You can see in the picture below that on the 6th of May 2024 at 10:45am that the beams are there and a crane was now put in place to load beams onto cargo trucks. “What we are looking for is to establish the pattern of activity in a particular area and detect the disruption of that pattern,” he said. During the first months of 2024, no unusual activity was observed. “Before March, we had not seen any kind of movement in the area. A car in a place where there were no vehicles before draws attention,” said Díaz. However, on May 6, the situation changed dramatically as pictured above. Images showed a crane at the depot, although the purpose of its presence was still unclear. This was one of the first indications that something significant was going on. By June 7 pictured below, satellite images showed considerable activity in the area. Two cargo trucks were present, and the area, once filled with materials, was now completely clear. “It is already evident here that an extraction operation is taking place,” Diaz said. Zooming in on the images, experts observed a pick-up-type vehicle that appeared to be supervising the operation. “This vehicle gives us a clue that this is not an improvised action, but a well-organized and planned operation,” Díaz added. On June 21, images showed that the area was completely cleared. There was no trace left of the beams or the extraction equipment. This was the end point of the operation, which began in May and lasted for several weeks. The information obtained through satellite images was presented by Díaz to the MOP. Díaz explained that the approach was made through the ministry’s legal advisor, who showed interest in the subject and organized a presentation. The7th of June 2024 at 10:55am pictured below, there is lots of activity with a pickup truck that appears to be in charge of the operation and the cargo trucks are hauling away the beams. Díaz has also offered his collaboration to the Public Prosecutor’s Office to provide additional details about the images and analysis obtained. “This type of technology is key for investigations of this nature, especially when clear evidence is needed,” he said. Díaz’s company has used satellite images in various projects, such as environmental monitoring, border security and infrastructure monitoring. One notable case was the analysis of an oil spill in Taboga, where they applied advanced techniques to identify the extent of the damage. In other countries, such as Costa Rica, the technology has been used to monitor the oil pipeline that crosses the country. “This technology has made it possible to detect sabotage attempts before they occur, which has prevented million-dollar losses and environmental risks,” explained Díaz. Díaz also explained the differences between Google Earth images and those of Maxar. “Google is a Maxar client, but the images it uses are not the most accurate or up-to-date. Maxar offers a much more detailed service with greater capacity for customization,” he clarified. For his part, the director of the National Police, Jaime Fernández, said that they are carrying out an investigation and that they have already identified several of those involved in this incident. “These beams are very heavy. This had to be well orchestrated with a lot of logistics and equipment,” Fernandez said. Police are following the new clues. https://newsroompanama.com/2024/09/13/images-reveal-beams-disappearance-one-day-after-elections/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted September 16 Author Moderators Share Posted September 16 Quote Public Prosecutor’s Office Conducts Raids Locates Several Stolen Beams September 15, 2024 The Attorney General’s Office reported that during the raids carried out by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office and the National Police that a number of stolen beams were located. The Public Prosecutor’s Office has proceeded to carry out several raids since the early hours of this Sunday, September 15 looking for those 600 stolen beams that had disappeared from a yard of the Ministry of Public Works (MOP). The National Police in the province of Herrera located 81 beams that were to be used to repair the Las Américas bridge. 18 H beams were located in Panama Oeste and 26 H beams in another location in Herrera, all with the specifications reported by the Ministry of Public Works, as part of an investigation into a crime against the Public Administration (embezzlement). During the various operations, several beams were found that matched those that were lost, in a shop located on Avenida Nacional. In addition to the ocular inspection of the premises, the National Police also located another 6 H beams. The National Police reported on the night of Saturday, September 14, that they managed to locate some 81 steel beams out of a total of 600 on private properties in various Provinces. 53 beams had been sold to a workshop in Herrera and distributed in several places. 14 H beams were found in Recimetal, located in the Province of Herrera, District of Chitré, Monagrillo district, 12 in Boca Parita and 21 chopped beams in a recycling plant in Panama City. The National Police reported on the night of Saturday, September 14, that they managed to locate some 81 steel beams out of a total of 600 on private properties in various Provinces. The three tons of beams that went missing were valued at $3 million dollars, and were stolen one day after the elections of May 5th. The Search for the remaining beams continues. https://newsroompanama.com/2024/09/15/public-prosecutors-office-conducts-raids-and-locates-several-stolen-beams/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted September 19 Author Moderators Share Posted September 19 Quote Recovering MOP Beams, the Urgent Mission of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office September 18, 2024 After almost a week of investigations and searches in different parts of the country, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office has so far recovered at least 60 of the steel beams reported missing from a warehouse of the Ministry of Public Works (MOP), located in Farfán, Arraiján district. Investigations were also carried out in the communal councils of Belisario Porras, in San Miguelito; and in Las Cumbres, in the district of Panama. However, the prosecutor’s office did not specify the number of beams recovered at these sites. Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office personnel, with the support of the National Police, located another nine H-beams during investigations carried out in Santa Fe, province of Veraguas. The beams were found in a vacant lot next to the road. Prosecutors are now checking to see if these beams are part of the batch of 600 that the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) reported missing. To date, authorities have recovered 69 beams that are presumed to belong to the batch stolen from a MOP warehouse located in Farfán, Arraiján. The day before, Tuesday, the prosecutor’s office carried out raids in the communal councils of Belisario Porras and Las Cumbres, where beams suspected to be part of those stolen were also found. In addition, six other beams were recovered in the 24 de Diciembre district. The prosecutor’s office also conducted an investigation at the MOP offices to obtain information on the acquisition of the beams and determine whether they were all intended for repairs to the Bridge of the Americas. The beams that are in Las Cumbres were ‘donated’ by the MOP to the communal council. The three steel beams that appeared in Las Cumbres were donated to the community council of that district by the Ministry of Public Works (MOP). Rafael Sabonge, the former MOP minister, has said that he does not know what happened to the 600 beams that were to be used in the Bridge of the Americas; that they had been “stolen.” But it was under his administration that the Las Cumbres community council received three beams to build a pedestrian and vehicular bridge in the Unión Veragüense community. The request, in writing, was submitted on May 27 by re-elected representative Zaidy Quintero. Quintero requested support from the MOP to acquire the materials that would be used in the construction of the bridge: three 21-inch, 62-pound beams and nine 15 x 40 Channels. The official attached a plan of the work. The note was addressed to Eduardo Chambonnet, the then regional director of the MOP in North Panama. The representative said that shortly after, on June 7, she received the three beams. They had the required measurements to carry out the work. Before that, the “regional director went to see where we were going to use them.” But the work did not move forward due to a lack of funds to complete it. They were managing those resources when they received a visit from agents of the National Police and personnel from the Public Prosecutor’s Office last Sunday, as part of an investigation opened for alleged embezzlement. Quintero says that, until that day, he had no idea that the beams that were in the courtyard of his community council were the ones that had been stolen from the MOP warehouse in Farfán. “We realized this now,” he said. He insists that the beams that were given to him by MOP are in the communal council, “not on private land.” Authorities warned the community council officials that they could not “touch” the beams. And there they are, waiting for someone to dispose of them. Quintero said he did not know if the beams that have appeared in other communal councils were also “donated” by the MOP. https://newsroompanama.com/2024/09/18/recovering-mop-beams-the-urgent-mission-of-the-anti-corruption-prosecutors-office/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted September 22 Author Moderators Share Posted September 22 Quote 4 Arrests Warrants in the MOP Beams Case Including a Former Official September 21, 2024 The Public Prosecutor’s Office reported Saturday September 21 that the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office charged a man with aggravated willful embezzlement, and arrested him for the disappearance of 600 H beams from the Ministry of Public Works (MOP). Sources from the Public Prosecutor’s Office revealed that the person arrested and charged is the owner of a recycling plant where some of the beams were found. The man was charged as the primary accomplice. Anti-Corruption prosecutor Marilú Batista reported that the hearing was held in the province of Panama Oeste. “For this reason, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office has issued arrest warrants for three other people. We are waiting for our auxiliary arms to arrest these people, including a former official,” said Batista. The 600 steel H-beams are valued at around $3 million. It was reported that they were initially intended for the repair of the Bridge of the Americas. The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, meanwhile, continues to search for the rest of the beams in various parts of the country. In recent days, authorities have located part of the material in different areas. Thursday September 19 in collaboration with the National Police, they located 39 H-beams, dismembered into pieces at a recycling plant located on Calle 19 in Rio Abajo. In addition, three more beams were found in Burunga, Arraiján, according to the Public Prosecutor’s Office. Friday, September 20, another 22 were found in the Darién. As of Friday afternoon, judicial authorities had recovered more than 140 beams, which are presumed to belong to the batch stolen from MOP. Investigations into this case began on September 5, 2024. https://newsroompanama.com/2024/09/21/first-4-arrests-warrants-in-the-mop-beams-case-including-a-former-official/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted September 24 Author Moderators Share Posted September 24 Quote Former Officials of the Veracruz Communal Board, Wanted for Disappearance of Beams September 23, 2024 The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office is on the trail of three former officials of the Veracruz Communal Board allegedly involved in the disappearance of 600 beams belonging to the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) and which were removed from a storage yard located in Farfán. Sources linked to the investigation revealed that since last weekend a series of efforts have been made to locate these three people against whom arrest warrants have been issued, but which have not been able to be carried out. According to the investigations, those required may have information that could lead to establishing responsibility for the theft of the beams and the period of time in which the operation took place. Last week, a judge in West Panama charged a man with embezzlement who the prosecution believes was the person who transported, delivered and charged for the delivery of the beams. The investigations carried out by the authorities suggest that the accused, maintained contact with the three people who are being sought by the Public Prosecutor’s Office. Some 600 beams that were to be used to repair the structure of the Bridge of the Americas have disappeared from a yard used as a warehouse by the MOP. Since September 14, the prosecution has located beams in various areas of the country ranging from the provinces of Herrera, Darién, Panama Oeste, Veraguas and Panama. However, there is no precise idea of the date the material was removed from the MOP facilities, whether there was authorization from any administrative authority for its sale, and who was responsible for the operation. Following this, a complaint was filed against the former MOP minister, Rafael Sabonge, for the alleged commission of the crime of embezzlement, and the Public Prosecutor’s Office was asked to summon him to testify regarding the whereabouts of the beams. So far, authorities have recovered some 140 beams, almost one quarter of the stolen beams, in investigations carried out in various parts of the country. https://newsroompanama.com/2024/09/23/former-officials-of-the-veracruz-communal-board-wanted-for-disappearance-of-beams/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted September 28 Author Moderators Share Posted September 28 Quote Former Veracruz Rep and Another Former Official Arrested – Scandal of the MOP Beams September 27, 2024 Photo of former representative of Veracruz, Ronald Alberto González, upon arrival at the hearing. The judge of guarantees Erick Méndez charged the alleged commission of the crime of aggravated embezzlement and ordered the preventive detention of the former representative of Veracruz, Ronald Alberto González, and the former official of the Social Security Fund, Víctor Pittí, in relation to the scandal over the disappearance of 600 H-type beams, property of the Ministry of Public Works (MOP). Judge Méndez justified his decision due to the seriousness of the crime and the significant damage caused to the community, as well as the responsibility of both defendants, who, as public servants, should have guaranteed the effective custody of state assets. https://newsroompanama.com/2024/09/27/former-veracruz-rep-and-another-former-official-arrested-scandal-of-the-mop-beams/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted September 29 Author Moderators Share Posted September 29 Quote MOP Beams Disappeared Under the Facade of Projects in Favor of Communal Councils September 28, 2024 The judge of guarantees Erick Méndez charged the alleged commission of the crime of aggravated embezzlement and ordered the preventive detention of the former representative of Veracruz, Ronald Alberto González, and the former official of the Social Security Fund, Víctor Pittí who is shown above, in relation to the scandal over the disappearance of 600 H-type beams, property of the Ministry of Public Works (MOP). Judge Méndez justified his decision due to the seriousness of the crime and the significant damage caused to the community, as well as the responsibility of both defendants, who, as public servants, should have guaranteed the effective custody of state assets. During a hearing that began at 9:00 am Friday September 27 at the judicial offices of Panama West, anti-corruption prosecutors Anilú Batista and Adela Cedeño revealed that both defendants had active participation in the theft and sale of the MOP beams, which as will be recalled were originally destined for the repair of the Las Américas Bridge. The evidence collected by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office in the investigation of the loss of 600 beams, 45 feet long and weighing 2,854 pounds each, from the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) yard indicates that the plan was hatched as early as April 2024. According to prosecutors, plans to steal the beams in Farfán, Arraiján district, West Panama province, happened in this manner. Ronald Alberto González, pictured above, requested 60 beams from the MOP as a donation for the Veracruz Communal Council, claiming that they would be used in the construction of a bridge in the community of La Represa, a project that was never carried out. In addition to the complaint filed by the MOP on September 5 for the loss of the beams, another was filed against former Minister Rafael Sabonge, accused of neglecting his duties as a public servant. For their part, defense attorneys Aníbal García and Carlos Herrera Delegado, who are pictured above, appealed Judge Méndez’s decision. Thus, the date for the appeal hearing was set for October 10, at 8:30 am, before the Superior Court of Appeals. Both García and Herrera Delegado had requested the application of precautionary measures other than preventive detention, pointing out that their clients have health problems that cannot be treated in a penitentiary center. Both former officials appeared voluntarily before the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday afternoon and made themselves available to the authorities. https://newsroompanama.com/2024/09/28/mop-beams-disappeared-under-the-facade-of-projects-in-favor-of-communal-councils/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted October 5 Author Moderators Share Posted October 5 Quote The Prosecution Is on the Trail of More People Involved in the Theft of MOP Beams October 4, 2024 The judge of guarantees, Rubén Peña, charged and ordered the arrest of Víctor Moreno and Gary Smail for the crime of embezzlement within the investigation for the theft of type H beams belonging to the Ministry of Public Works (MOP). During a hearing that began at 11:00 am on Friday, October 4, in the Accusatory Criminal System of Western Panama, Judge Peña decided to order the detention of both defendants after considering that it is a serious crime and that there is a risk of destruction of evidence. With these two detainees, there are now five people accused of the alleged crime of embezzlement to the detriment of the State. Moreno, who was in charge of security at the yard located in Farfan, where the MOP beams were located, is accused by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office of having received payments in the amount of $500 and $600 to allow the material to leave. Meanwhile, Smail, who worked as an assistant to the former representative of the Veracruz district, Ronald González, is accused by the Prosecutor’s Office of having received payments from some recycling companies that bought the beams. However, during a brief intervention before the judge, the accused explained that he did work for the former representative of Veracruz in a demolition company that operated in Howard, but that he did not work in the Veracruz municipal council and that he never went to the MOP yard. He also explained to the judge that he always thought that the beams taken to the recycling companies were part of the demolition work carried out at González’s company. The prosecution’s investigation revealed that Smail received transfers of $3,357 and $1,894 that were part of the money delivered by the recyclers as payment for the delivery of the beams. The complaint in this case was filed by the MOP on September 5, after which the prosecutor’s office launched a series of proceedings that included eight raids in several provinces to recover the beams and visits to different recycling plants. Sixteen interviews were also conducted with people linked to the delivery and marketing of the beams. In this case, charges of embezzlement were brought against González, Víctor Pittí (former official of the Social Security Fund) and Roy Obando, the latter being the first person arrested in relation to the case. https://newsroompanama.com/2024/10/04/the-prosecution-is-on-the-trail-of-more-people-involved-in-the-theft-of-mop-beams/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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