Increased Protection For Disposing Of Contraband Narcotics
2 x C300 Narcotic Waste Incinerators
Addfield played a crucial role in Panama’s fight against drug trafficking by customizing high-capacity incinerators for the Ministry of Public Security. Tasked with disposing of confiscated drugs, the challenge arose from the diverse compositions of marijuana and densely packed cocaine. Addfield’s solution, specialized C300 variants, incorporated unique loading systems for handling both substances. Featuring an oversized primary chamber, air curtains, and advanced filtration, these incinerators ensure safe and environmentally friendly destruction of confiscated narcotics, aligning with Panama’s commitment to combat drug trafficking comprehensively.
From an undisclosed location deep in the heart of Panama you can find two high-capacity incinerators performing a very important role. Installed for the Ministerio De Seguridad, and providing an essential service for Panama and as a result of the nature of the waste destroyed, many more countries around the world.
The security forces in Panama are some of the best in the world at intercepting contraband including cocaine and marijuana. Building up an immense amount taken from smugglers attempting to illicitly export millions of pounds worth of illegal cargo every week needing prompt disposal.
Drug trafficking and the presence of cartels in Panama have posed significant challenges for the country and the region in general. Despite being a transit country for drug trafficking due to its strategic geographic location between South and North America, Panama has struggled with illegal drug trafficking and cartels. Using the country’s maritime and land transport network to smuggle narcotics, taking advantage of its complex geography and trade routes. Despite the
Panamanian government’s efforts in cooperation with international agencies to combat these illicit activities, drug trafficking has persisted.
The Ministry of Public Security has implemented strategies to strengthen border security, increase surveillance at ports and airports, and carrying out operations to dismantle drug trafficking networks. It has also made efforts to improve the way of destroying such amounts of confiscations. Such a high value of pure unadulterated drugs creates an unexpected question “How to safely dispose of it all?”
This is why Addfield were approached to provide a solution that could safely dispose of mixed quantities of drugs that cannot be simply sent to landfill or disposed of in any way that could risk them cycling back into the black market.
The solution was not as straightforward as first considered. Due to the opposing composition of vegetative marijuana-based waste and the more flammable and variable chemical composition of densely packed cocaine, it is not possible to incinerate these in a standard agricultural or medical incinerator. Requiring a solution capable of destroying low calory and density cannabis and highly flammable (Gasoline is a common ingredient in the creation of cocaine) and densely packed kilogramme bricks of cocaine during the same process. Special variants of the C300 were developed to incorporate alternate loading systems capable of handling bundles of cannabis products in large quantities as well as highly dense kilo blocks of pure cocaine in smaller batches.
Incorporating an oversized primary chamber to increase suitable incineration volume. In addition, oxygen air curtains were included in the main chamber, followed by a larger secondary chamber ensuring that the retention time of two seconds was maintained.
Finally due to the toxicity of the waste additional filtration systems have been installed with each machine having an oversized Venturi wet scrubber system. These take the gasses directly from the secondary chamber at temperatures exceeding 1100°C and direct it through a series of funnels introducing fine water particles mixed with sorbent chemicals at high velocities to strip harmful particulates and toxins from the gasses before releasing them back into the Panamanian countryside.
Special loading systems were required to be designed and developed once in operation to ensure optimal incineration was achievable. We have been able to continue to optimise the installation remotely to provide greater results and ensure the customer was able to achieve premium results.
The Panamanian government has shown a continued commitment to the fight against drug trafficking, recognising the importance of addressing not only the seizure but also the process of destroying these alkaloids in a safe and environmentally friendly manner.
For more information Click here for the Republica De Panama Press Release.
