-Published: Friday, November 29, 2019-




By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Agents of the Police Drug Control detained Thursday two U.S. citizens when they entered the country through Juan Santamaría International Airport, in Alajuela as suspects of money laundering. They were identified by the last names and ages of Skees, 25, and Howze, 41.

According to the police report, during a routine check-up, officers at the airport control post found several packages of cash, which the suspects had in carry-on luggage.

The total cash found in the backpack was $644,344, said police said in its report. "The money was distributed in several bundles and wrapped in plastic."

Article 35 of  Law No. 8204 says: “upon entering or leaving the country, all persons, national or foreign, will be obliged to declare the cash or securities that they carry if the amount is equal to or greater than $10,000 or an equivalent in another currency. This is the legislation titled Law on Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances, Drugs for Unauthorized Use, Related Activities, the Legitimization of Capital and Financing of Terrorism.

The police reported that the suspects were arriving on a flight from Los Angeles. However, on the outbound flight itinerary, both men had departure tickets to take another flight to Atlanta, on the same day.

The two men were to be in the country for a few hours, according to the itinerary.

Both suspects were jailed at the Public Ministry cells, where they were interrogated by the judicial agents and after that, they were to face a judge who will consider pre-trial measures against them.


On Nov. 15 another foreigner was arrested at the Alajuela airport. Immigration police identified him by the last names of Turnbull-Manzanillo and said the British citizen was a suspect of transporting false identifications and fake U.S. dollars bills.

According to the police report, during a routine operation, the 39-year-old Turnbull's luggage was checked, before he boarded a flight to the Dominican Republic where he is said to have a residence.

In the luggage, police said they found $4,900 in fake U.S. dollars bills as well as several passports and fake IDs in the name of other people, a report said.

The suspect was jailed.



In another case involved a U.S. citizen Sept. 18. Police detained the man at Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport in Liberia and identified him by the last name of  Singleton. They said he was a suspect of international drug trafficking.

According to the police report, the man arrived in the country on a direct flight from Miami, Florida. In a routine review, officers said they detected packages of candy and plastic containers with suspicious merchandise. As part of the process in the case of drug trafficking, the airport officials requested the support of specialists from the Air Surveillance Service.

According to Airport Police Chief Captain Otto-Arrieta, a K-9 dog that specializes in drug tracking detected marijuana hidden in the suspect's luggage.

"In the suspect's luggage there were 29.34 grams of marijuana in wraps and 17.92 grams of marijuana in jelly candies," said Arrieta.

Singleton was taken to the cells of the Public Ministry in Liberia.




------------------------------
Should U.S. airport authorities open an investigation to find out why both men traveled to Costa Rica carrying more than half-million dollars in cash?  We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com