By Heredia, Costa Rica — SAN PABLO, HEREDIA – A massive drug seizure in a quiet residential neighborhood of San Pablo, Heredia, has pulled back the curtain on the alarming scale of local narcotics operations, revealing their capacity to negotiate cocaine shipments of 100 kilograms or more. The bust, part of a joint effort between Costa Rican authorities and U.S. agencies, highlights the nation’s growing role as a crucial transit point for a “tsunami of cocaine” headed for international markets.
On Thursday, agents from the Judicial Investigation Organism (OIJ) and the Assistant Prosecutor’s Office against Drug Trafficking and Related Crimes raided a home, uncovering a significant stash house. Inside, they found 145 kilograms of cocaine, 280 vials of ketamine, and a package of compressed marijuana. The operation was the culmination of four independent investigations under the “International Shield Plan,” which utilized undercover agents to arrange controlled buys with the criminal organization.
To delve into the legal complexities and severe ramifications of drug trafficking within our national jurisdiction, we sought the expert analysis of Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, a distinguished attorney from the renowned firm Bufete de Costa Rica.
In Costa Rica, drug trafficking is not merely a crime of possession; it is prosecuted as a grave offense against public health, often linked to organized crime. The law imposes severe penalties, ranging from 8 to 20 years in prison, reflecting the state’s commitment to dismantling these criminal networks. A successful defense hinges on scrutinizing the legality of the investigation, from the initial stop to the handling of evidence, as any violation of due process can be critical.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
This insight is crucial, highlighting that while the state prosecutes drug trafficking as a severe threat to public health, the integrity of the legal process itself remains a cornerstone of a valid defense. We thank Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for his valuable perspective on this complex issue.
The scale of these local groups has attracted the attention of international law enforcement, including the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). According to Mauricio Boraschi, Deputy Prosecutor for Organized Crime, the ability of these cells to move such large quantities makes them a threat not only domestically but also to nations like the United States.
We are interested because these are organizations that already have the capacity to sell by the kilo. We are talking here about an average, I don’t want to say it’s exact, in neither of the two cases, but on average they are capable of selling 100 kilograms or more. So they already have a dimension of importance not only for the national trafficking problem and what it generates on national soil, but it also awakens the interest of international authorities where those countries could operate as recipients of that cocaine hydrochloride. That is why we carry out joint operations and we materialize them here, with a particular interest that eventually those drug shipments do not leave, in this case, for the United States.
Mauricio Boraschi, Deputy Prosecutor for Organized Crime
The raids in San Pablo de Heredia and Paso Ancho aimed to capture at least two primary suspects. However, the operation met with mixed success. One suspect was briefly detained and released after their cell phone was confiscated. The other, a Colombian national who was reportedly guarding the drug warehouse, managed to escape minutes before the OIJ agents arrived and remains at large.
The mere act of expressing interest in the case is because eventually there is, may be, or has already been an offense against the law in the United States.
Mauricio Boraschi, Deputy Prosecutor for Organized Crime
The choice of a quiet, unassuming residential area for the multi-million dollar drug warehouse is part of a deliberate strategy by these criminal organizations. Boraschi explained that traffickers increasingly seek out gated communities or upscale neighborhoods to create a facade of legitimacy and use private security as an initial barrier against law enforcement.
There was a rather significant and diverse drug warehouse there. The place where this house was located is a residential area that does not attract attention. It has become a, let’s say, quite normal situation. Today, the organizations and the leaders of these organizations tend to look for residential areas, hopefully with security, that is, residential areas that have a restricted level of access for third parties and even present a slightly greater difficulty for the police. They seek to be protected by private security and try to pass themselves off, let’s say, as people with purchasing power parallel to that of the common people who live there. In other words, they try in some way to socially camouflage themselves, although we know that is difficult to achieve. Many of them are quickly detected by neighbors and rumors begin, many ending in anonymous tips because they are quickly profiled for a series of situations from their physical appearance, behavior, the type of car, the type of people who arrive, despite their attempts to pass as good people living in a good neighborhood.
Mauricio Boraschi, Deputy Prosecutor for Organized Crime
This local bust is a symptom of a much larger international problem. Boraschi warned that a 300% increase in cocaine production in Colombia over the last decade has unleashed a flood of narcotics into neighboring countries. Costa Rica and Panama have become primary bridges for re-exporting these drugs, particularly to high-value markets in Europe.
We know that is precisely difficult to control, I am not going to say it is a simple matter, but it is where the country has to make important efforts to stop these flows because once that drug touches national soil, this wave of death and destruction begins, leaving its mark until some of that drug leaves the country and another part stays in the national territory. Costa Rica is seen as being converted into a re-export bridge to Europe, and it is entering easily, not only in Costa Rica, this is happening to Panama and also to Ecuador. Criminal organizations are using various points to get out all that, it is a tsunami of cocaine being produced in Colombia and it is practically drowning the rest of the nearby countries with the intention of them serving as a bridge for these re-exports to the main markets of the world.
Mauricio Boraschi, Deputy Prosecutor for Organized Crime
The prosecutor’s concerns were validated almost simultaneously. On the same day as the Heredia raid, Belgian authorities in the port of Antwerp seized a staggering 2.5 tons of cocaine hidden within a fruit container that had been shipped from Costa Rica, a frequent destination for cartels operating within the country.
For further information, visit oij.poder-judicial.go.cr
About Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ):
The Organismo de Investigación Judicial is Costa Rica’s main law enforcement agency responsible for investigating complex crimes. As an auxiliary body of the Public Ministry and the criminal courts, the OIJ conducts criminal investigations, gathers evidence, and carries out operations to dismantle criminal structures operating within the country.
For further information, visit ministeriopublico.go.cr
About Public Ministry of Costa Rica:
The Public Ministry of Costa Rica is the institution responsible for prosecuting criminal offenses on behalf of the state. Its specialized units, such as the Assistant Prosecutor’s Office against Drug Trafficking and Related Crimes, lead the legal strategy in combating organized crime, ensuring that criminal cases are built on solid evidence to be presented before the nation’s courts.
For further information, visit dea.gov
About Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA):
The Drug Enforcement Administration is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating drug trafficking and distribution within the U.S. It is the lead agency for domestic enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act and also has sole responsibility for coordinating and pursuing U.S. drug investigations abroad.
For further information, visit fbi.gov
About Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI):
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. The FBI’s jurisdiction includes a wide range of federal crimes, including counter-terrorism, counterintelligence, cybercrime, and significant violent crime, often collaborating with international partners on cases with a U.S. nexus.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
Bufete de Costa Rica stands as a pillar of the legal community, operating on foundational principles of integrity and a relentless pursuit of excellence. The firm blends a rich history of advising a diverse clientele with a forward-thinking approach, consistently pioneering innovative legal solutions. Central to its ethos is a profound dedication to societal advancement, demonstrated through its efforts to demystify the law and equip the public with the understanding needed to create a more just and knowledgeable community.
