Gang that Stole Cocaine from Government Warehouse Nabbed in Costa Rica
Tuesday, June 16th, 2009Eight people, among them three policemen, have been arrested for allegedly belonging to a gang that in March stole 320 kilograms of cocaine from the warehouse belonging to the prosecutor’s office in Golfito, in southern Costa Rica, the press reported Sunday.
The suspects, all of whom are Costa Rican, were arrested, and police seized $306,000 in cash, 18,500 euros and 2.6 million colones (about $4,500), OIJ investigations agency director Jorge Rojas said.
The arrests were made on Saturday in Ciudad Neily, a city in the southern province of Puntarenas, near the border with Panama, and in the town of Golfito, where the drug shipment was stolen during the early morning hours of March 26. (more…)
Most people would be hard put to find Costa Rica on the map. Football fans know that it is a country which challenges for one of the places accorded Central America and the Caribbean for the Word Cup. Costa Rica extends from the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Caribbean in the east. Its population of 4.5 million are overwhelmingly of European descent. It has the distinction of being the first state in modern times to abolish officially its military.Why is the country suddenly important? It has decided to abandon its recognition of Taiwan as the legitimate government of China. Its place has been taken by the People’s Republic. Why should a democratic government which has been critical of communism and especially Cuba in the past suddenly change course? Only the naive would be surprised to hear that money was the key factor. Beijing is to buy $300 million of Costa Rican bonds and extend a loan of $130 million. Scholarships will be provided for students to study in China. An oil refinery is planned to give the country more energy independence.
