By Arellys Marquínez

COLÓN/After Pastor Rafael Cañas, director of Citizen Security for the Municipality of Colón, stated on Noticias AM that there is a “group within the police or among the police” tarnishing the institution’s image by supporting or being part of criminal groups in Colón, the Director of the National Police reacted to the allegations raised by the now former convict, according to John Dornheim.

“There is a group they call the fifth gang, that’s why we always see police officers being caught in operations; it damages the institution’s image and that of the good police officers,” said Pastor Cañas.

In response to these accusations, the head of the Police invited Cañas to present the respective complaints with relevant evidence to initiate an investigation.

“This is a very delicate issue; when you speak out, you have to speak with foundation,” emphasized Dornheim.

He continued, “to these people, I invite them, if they have evidence, to go to the Public Ministry and the National Police to file the respective complaints.”

Learn in detail what Pastor Cañas said: Crime in Colón: There is a group within the police called ‘the fifth gang,’ according to pastor. According to Cañas, who has been “working for 22 years to eradicate gangs on the Atlantic Coast,” there are four organized groups made up of various criminal cells, and many of their members are minors.

At the same time, he assured that there are units being recruited by the National Police and being incorporated by gangs to commit crimes.

In this context, Dorheim asserted that the official and pastor Cañas was apprehended in an operation with dozens of drug packages and was convicted of this crime.

“I can tell you that one of the people making these allegations was detained with more than 60 drug packages in an operation carried out in our country, which involved provinces such as Colón, Panama, West Panama, and even the province of Chiriquí, and he paid for this crime,” emphasized the head of the Police.

However, Dorheim did not provide further details on whether there are indications of the existence of the “fifth gang” made up of police officers.

“If he has knowledge or they have knowledge, please let them go, and we, as a serious institution, will conduct investigations, and anyone who is involved with these groups as he indicated, then they have to answer to the authorities and administratively,” he concluded.

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