Panama arrests 15 people for smuggling Chinese migrants through the Darien Gap

PANAMA CITY (AP) — Police in Panama say they have arrested 15 people who allegedly ran a smuggling ring to move Chinese migrants through the Darien Gap. The dangerous, jungle-clad gap connects Colombia and Panama, and represents a major route for migrants to reach the U.S. border. In recent years, Chinese have become the fourth-largest group by nationality to use the crossing. Most of those crossing are Venezuelans. More than 500,000 migrants crossed the Darien Gap in a record-breaking 2023. So far this year, more than 212,000 migrants have crossed.