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11h ago

Panama Investigators Seize Files From CK Hutchison Port Unit as Probe Begins

The searches follow a court ruling that voided PPC’s concessions, triggering a state-managed transition.

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Containers sit at the Balboa terminal, run by CK Hutchison's Panama Ports Co., after Panama's government ordered the occupation of the port following a Supreme Court ruling that the concession was unconstitutional, in Panama City, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
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An aerial view of the Balboa terminal, run by CK Hutchison's Panama Ports Co., after Panama's government ordered the occupation of the port following a Supreme Court ruling that the concession was unconstitutional, in Panama City, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Overview

  • Prosecutor Azael Samaniego said anti-corruption teams searched three Panama Ports Company offices in Panama City and removed boxes of documents, with the maritime authority and judicial investigators present.
  • The Public Ministry said it is pursuing an early-stage case based on indications of a possible crime without specifying the offense, and the government described the action as an independent investigation.
  • CK Hutchison and PPC condemned the takeover and searches as unlawful, alleged an unnotified intrusion into a private storage site, and said they will pursue domestic and international legal remedies after launching arbitration.
  • Panama took temporary control of the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals after the Supreme Court voided the concessions, installing APM Terminals and MSC/TIL to maintain operations and protect jobs during a transition.
  • China criticized Panama’s actions and warned of consequences, President Trump welcomed reduced Chinese influence, and CK Hutchison’s pending $23 billion ports sale to a BlackRock–MSC consortium includes the Panamanian terminals.