By the A.M. Costa Rica staff


The Drug Control Police confirmed that a 41-year-old U.S. citizen surnamed Bryan was arrested while entering the country at the Juan Santamaría International Airport* in Alajuela, on suspicion of international drug trafficking.

According to the police report, during a routine check officers found 1,056 grams of marijuana oil inside a jar, 50 units of electric cigarettes, 600 units of pipes for smoking and $9,169 in cash in the luggage, which apparently belongs to Bryan.

According to the Drug Control Police, the suspect arrived from Los Angeles, California in the United States. When the luggage passed through the control bands in Costa Rica, the cargo was detected.

The suspect was taken to the cells of the Public Ministry where he was interrogated by the judicial agents. There he will wait until a judge orders the pre-trial measures against him.

Another recent case of a foreigner jailed after arriving in the country was reported by A.M. Costa Rica on August 15th.

In that case, the Immigration Professional Police arrested two foreigners, a Nicaraguan man surnamed Baltodano-Vargas and a Dominican Republic woman surnamed Campos-Almanzar, both as suspects of presenting false documents to immigration authorities.

The first case was registered at the immigration office in Peñas Blancas*, on the border with Nicaragua. The suspect Baltodano-Vargas handed checkpoint authorities a work permit card issued in Costa Rica.

However, after a routine review, the officers detected anomalies in the card. After a second, more in-depth review by a specialist, it was confirmed as false documentation.

The suspect was arrested and sent to the cells of the Public Ministry in Liberia, in Guanacaste where he was jailed as a pre-trial measure ordered by a judge.

The second case was reported by the immigration officers of the Juan Santamaría International Airport. A woman surnamed Campos-Almanzar entered the country, apparently making a stop-over. When officers checked her passport, they detected anomalies in the United States visa.

According to the process in these cases, when officers have a doubt, they must verify the visa with the U.S. Embassy. Embassy officials confirmed the suspect did not have a visa to enter the United States.

The suspect was arrested and sent to the cells of the Public Ministry in Alajuela where a judge ordered her jailed as a pre-trial measure.

On June 7th, a U.S. citizen was detained at Daniel Oduber International Airport on suspicion of adult abuse.

In that case, immigration police at Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia* detained a U.S. citizen surnamed Thomas, on suspicion of adult abuse. The suspect was about to leave the country.

The police report that the family of an 18-year-old woman filed a complaint against Thomas for having touched the young woman in an inappropriate manner.

"The Professional Migration Police not only ensures the correct execution of immigration control," said Alonso Soto, Assistant Director of Professional Migration Police. "This type of crime, or human trafficking, compromises the integrity of the people, and therefore, the police must act in compliance to protect citizens and tourists."

Police took the suspect to the Prosecutor's office of Liberia in Guanacaste, where he was accused of abuse of an adult.

According to the statistics of the Directorate of Immigration, during this year, 17 cases of false documentation were detected. Of these cases, 12 were for fake passports, two for false IDs, two for fraudulent visas, and one for detection of a counterfeit stamp on legal documents.





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How will the legalization of marijuana in the U.S. affect those traveling to Costa Rica? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com

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