Tuhia he haere tonu mō tēnei wāhanga - I tino nui haere te whai wāhi o Panama me Noriega ki te hokohoko tarukino i te tīmatanga o te tekau tau atu i 1980, i te tau 1984. Te kaha haere o ngā pakanga i Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala
, a kua arahina a Nicaragua ki te hanganga o ngā whatunga waka huna i whakamahia e Noriega ki te kawe tarukino ki te U.S., otirā te tarukino. I tēnei wā, i rapu hoki te Medellín Cartel o Colombia i ngā hoa. I uru a Noriega ki a raatau mahi hokohoko tarukino me te horoi moni, ana i whiwhi moni nui hei moni tiaki, utu, me te tohatoha moni. I te Hune 1986, i tuhihia e te kairipoata rangahau a Seymour Hersh tetahi rangatira o te Whare Maama o Amerika e kii ana ko te whakaiti i nga mahi a Noriega ka tino whakaiti i te hokohoko tarukino o te ao.