This headline sounds alarming, but when you read it you find it is about illegal aliens and the criminal element that they are cracking down on. I believe these pronouncements have more to do with politics where the administration wants to be seen as doing something about the rising crime in the city. Instead of the occasional crackdown, why not be working at this on a regular basis?

The president of the Consejo Municipal de Panamá, Virgilio Crespo, announced yesterday that there will be crackdown on criminal behavior and other activities in the city in the coming days.

He said that police will be making a concerted effort to arrest illegal aliens, specifically those working as prostitutes. Police will also be conducting sweeps of nightclubs to ensure that minors are not being allowed on the premises.

The police will be working with representatives from the city’s fire department to inspect buildings to see if they are adhering to building codes regarding exits and capacity limits. They will also be checking the security protocols at the nightclubs to see if they are effective at preventing minors from entering.

The director of the Zona Metropolitana de Salud, Lucas López, said that his agency will start checking establishments next month to ensure that they are in compliance with a non-smoking ban that goes into effect on April 25.

The fine for violating the ban is between $500 to $1000.

Source: http://primapanama.blogs.com/