|
In the
raids, more than $10,000
in cash, one kilo of
amphetamine in glasses,
several 9-millimeter
caliber firearms, an
assault rifle, and five
vehicles were seized. / OIJ courtesy
photo.
|
DEA and
FBI helped in the capture
of five
international
drug trafficking
suspects
|
By
the A.M. Costa Rica
staff
With the collaboration of
agents of the Federal Bureau
of Investigation and agents of
the Drug Enforcement
Administration, agents of the
Judicial Investigation
Organization have captured
five suspects in international
drug trafficking.
The suspects were identified
as: a woman surnamed
Solano-Araya, alleged leader,
a second woman surnamed
Gómez-Gómez and three men
surnamed Fallas-Alfaro,
Barquero-Quesada, and
Garcí-Zúñiga.
The police report that this
gang of alleged drug dealers
had already been investigated
by the FBI and the DEA since
apparently they had imported
drugs from South America to be
moved to North America.
"According to the
investigation, the gang would
have operated since the end of
2015, it is suspected that
loads of cocaine were entering
different parts of the
country's Pacific, then moved
to the province of Alajuela*,
where they hid the drug in
trucks and from there they
took it from country by land,"
said the police in their
statement.
In order to capture the
suspects, sites in Liberia*,
Cañas*,
Osa*, Upala*,
Grecia*,
and Guápiles*
were raided. In the raids,
more than $10,000 in cash, one
kilo of amphetamine in
glasses, several 9-millimeter
caliber firearms, an assault
rifle, and five vehicles were
seized.
The investigation, which began
in 2016, alleged that the gang
exported cocaine-like drugs,
hidden in scrap shipments
going to Guatemala.
The gang is related to four
seizures of drugs made in
2018:
- The first was on May 24 near
the community of Jaco Beach*,
where they managed to
decommission 302 kilos of
cocaine that were hidden in a
double compartment on the
floor of a microbus, and time
stopped two men.
- The second was on May 26,
near the community of Osa*.
On that occasion,
approximately 157 kilos of
cocaine and two weapons were
seized, and two other men were
arrested.
- The third was on August 23,
near the community of Quebrada
Ganado*, 1.101 kilos of
cocaine was seized in two
vehicles with compartments
apparently hidden to transport
drugs and two firearms, and
another group of two women and
three men was arrested.
- The fourth was on October
23, near the community of Quebrada
Honda* in Nicoya. In
this confiscation, Coast Guard
officers participated and
found a boat with 690 kilos of
cocaine.
The total weight of
confiscated drugs was 2,250
kilos and apparently belonged
to this gang.
The agents of the judicial
police reported that they are
still searching for more
members of this gang.
The suspects
were taken to the cells of
the Public Prosecutor's
Office where the agents
continued with the
investigation. It is
expected that in the next
few hours a judge will
dictate the pre-trial
measures against the
suspects.
-------------
Should the
legislators create a new kind
of prison-for-life for drugs
traffickers to reduce the
illegal activity in Costa
Rica? We would
like to know your thoughts on this
story. Send your comments to: news@amcostarica.com
*Link to reach the place map.
|
|
|
|
AMCostaRica©
|
AMCostaRica©
|
|
