 |
 |
|
   |
Published
Thursday, June 18, 2020 drug trafficking to the U.S. By the A.M. Costa Rica staff and wire services Four Costa Ricans who were detained by the U.S. Coast Guard in international waters have been charged for their respective roles in attempting to smuggle hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and marijuana into the United States, announced the U.S. Department of Justice. According to the case, in May, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Confidence detected a Go-Fast Vessel (GFV). Members of the investigative team learned of a GFV that was planning to transport nearly 1,500 kilograms of marijuana from the area of Punta Aji to an awaiting vessel being dispatched from Central America. On May 19, USCG Cutter James detected a GFV with no indication of nationality located in the area of 83 nautical miles southwest of El Cacao, Panama, in international waters. After gaining control of the GFV, a USCG boarding team encountered the Costa Ricans surnamed Smith-Meria, 28, Sanchez-Cascante, 30, Cesar-Flores, 22, and Hidalgo-Ching, 28. The guards subsequently seized approximately 88 bales containing approximately 1,500 kilograms of marijuana. "The defendants are charged with the manufacture, distribution, or possession of a controlled substance on a vessel. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison," said the U.S. Department of Justice in its statement. According to the Department of Justice, actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). The program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. "The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply," said the Department of Justice. More information on this case can be reached in the U.S. Justice Department website. ------------------------ Have you heard about expats jailed in Costa Rica for drug trafficking? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com |
