Panama Building 4 Anti-drug Sea, Air Stations

Panamanian Government Building 4 Air, Sea Monitoring Stations To Fight Drug Trafficking

(AP)  PANAMA CITY (AP) - Panama's government is building four air and sea monitoring stations to fight trafficking of drugs, weapons and migrants.

The bases are to be located on the Pacific coast on routes used to smuggle drugs and transport laundered money.

Assistant Interior Minister Alejandro Garuz said Monday the sites will be manned by the national police, border agents and other government agencies.

He says the bases are a completely Panamanian initiative and the United States will not be involved.

An agreement to expand the use of bases in neighboring Colombia by U.S. troops for anti-drug and other missions has drawn criticism in the region.