Money package was found with $84,000 in cash that was hidden under one of the seats of a small plane that had just landed at the Tobias Bolaños International Airport in Pavas. / Drug Control Police courtesy photo.
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Police arrest two Mexicans as
suspects in laundering $84,000
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Officers of the Drug Control Police and the agents of the Air Surveillance Service reported the arrest of two Mexican men, one surnamed Benavides and the other surnamed Gómez, on suspicion of money laundering after a package was found with $84,000 in cash that was hidden under one of the seats of a small plane that had just landed at the Tobias Bolaños International Airport in Pavas* in San José.
According to the police report, the plane came from the Puerto Escondido International Airport in Oaxaca, Mexico. In a routine review, the money was found, police said.
In addition to dollars, also seized were 11,300 Mexican pesos.
According to the police, the two suspects have no criminal record. Both were taken to the cells of the Public Ministry where they were interviewed by the agents of the Judicial Investigation Organization. Then both suspects must wait until a judge decides on precautionary pre-trial measures for them.
Related to the most recent cases on money laundering, as A.M. Costa Rica reported June 25, police seize $192,000 that was dumped in an empty lot near the border with Nicaragua.
The officers of the Isla Chica delegation in the town of Los Chiles*, near the border with Nicaragua, reported the seizure of the money that was thrown in an empty lot by a man while he was escaping from the police.
According to the police report, in a routine patrol carried out by officers with the support of agents of the Operational Support Group (GAO for its acronym in Spanish), on the border with Nicaragua, they "observed a man who was crossing a wire fence, the man was carrying what appeared to be a long weapon, as well as a large bag, for which the officers ordered him to stop. "
But the man chose to throw the bag and escape through a wild forest area.
"The officers continued their search, but shortly after the man was escaping through bushes, so it was impossible to find him due to the thick vegetation," said the police in its report.
While reviewing the bag, the officers found eight packages wrapped in plastic and, when reviewing one of them, the police discovered the money.
Following the protocol in these cases, the officers coordinated the delivery of the money to the Drug Control Police.
After a count, the officers determined that the amount seized was $192,000 and that was delivered as evidence of the case to the Public Prosecutor's Office.
In another recent case was on June when a man suspected of laundering more than $200,000 was ordered by a judge to spend three months in pre-trial detention.
On that case, the Prosecutor's Office of Alajuela said that the man, surnamed Molina-Restrepo, is suspected of laundering $226,605.
According to a Public Ministry report, the investigation of the case began in June after the suspect contacted other men, not yet identified, but who may be linked to drug trafficking.
The report said these other people gave the money to Molina-Restrepo to take to Bolivia.
After a routine review operation at Juan Santamaria International Airport*, the packages with the money were detected and the suspect was detained.
"Molina-Restrepo distributed the money in his suitcase, in a double lining that he made with a thick plastic sheet, adhered with glue and screws," said the prosecutor's office in its report.
The man was arrested at the airport when he was leaving the country on a flight to Bolivia with a stopover in Panama.
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Have you heard about the money laundry case in your community? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to: news@amcostarica.com
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