Top 10 Costa Rica

Costa Rica Target for Drug Smugglers

Costa Rica’s main port on its Pacific coast.

Security here and at other ports and airports across the Central American country isn’t tight enough.

And that’s according to the country’s authorities.

They admit this makes Costa Rica attractive to drug smugglers, says the head of the investigations agency:

[Jorge Rojas, OIJ Investigations Agency Director]:
“There is a lack of control at Pavas airport, so people arrive and take advantage of the situation. This is of great help to drug trafficking. It is the same at some ports. The country needs to pay a lot of attention to this topic because every day we see important shipments are made to Central America, Mexico, the United States and Europe.”

Costa Rican police say Mexico’s recent seizure of over a ton of cocaine, packed inside frozen shark carcasses was shipped from Puerto Caldera.

As seen in archive footage, Costa Rica’s authorities generally pick up about 20 tons of cocaine a year headed for the lucrative U.S. market.

Costa Rica’s Attorney General warns drug cartels already hold power:

[Francisco D'Lanesse, Costa Rican Attorney General]:
“We have already been taken over by drug cartels and other activities carried out by organized criminals. What follows is that drug cartels will take over political parties, will finance political campaigns and then take over the government.”

With this kind of warning, the future seems bleak.

Port authorities say specially trained police forces should carry out port controls.

But a bill to combat drug trafficking, proposed by the Attorney General’s office, has been awaiting approval by congressmen for two years.