By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Since March 19, police have closed thousands of businesses, arrested hundreds of people, rejected thousands of foreigners, and fined thousands of drivers, announced the Ministry of Security on Wednesday.

According to the ministry, thousands of people have not respected border closures, restrictions on businesses and driving, among many other precautionary orders imposed by the government to stop the spread of the covid-19 in the country.

"By air, land and water, our work is hard to protect the population during the covid emergency," said Michael Soto, Minister of Public Security.

According to the most recent report of the General Directorate of Migration, since the government ordered the closure of borders, a total of 8,540 foreigners have been denied entrance for crossing at unauthorized border entries. People who try to return to the country by illegal means will lose their resident status and be denied entrance to the country.

The popular border entries of Peñas Blancas and Las Tablillas, in the northern zone of the country, is where authorities have rejected the most amount of foreigners.

Also, 7,857 Costa Ricans who entered the country received a strict sanitary order to quarantine themselves for 14 days in their homes. Those who dismiss the isolation order will be fined ₡450,200 colones, the equivalent of $794.

Since the border closure order, police presence has increased in the Ministry of Security, the Migration Police, the Traffic Police and the Judicial Investigation Organization.

In the case of businesses like bars, tourist centers, shopping malls and many others that must remain closed, 9,524 places were closed by police so far.

Regarding the ban on driving order, Traffic Police have fined 13,047 drivers. Their fine is to pay ₡110,000 colones (about $194), in addition to the confiscation of plates and a penalty of 6 points on their driver's license.


Also, police reported penalizing 38,483 drivers for other types of offenses, among these 238 drivers for drunk driving.

Police call on people to respect the orders put in place to prevent an increase in cases of covid-19 infections in the country.


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