Costa Rican authorities have deported a 63-year-old Nicaraguan citizen identified by the surname Morales-Obando, who was wanted in the United States on charges related to passport fraud and counterfeiting U.S. currency, according to the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ).

The suspect was turned over to U.S. federal agents at Juan Santamaría International Airport in Alajuela Province. The transfer was coordinated by Interpol and the OIJ.

According to the OIJ, the U.S. Department of Justice issued an Interpol Red Notice for Morales in 2025 to face federal charges stemming from an alleged operation involving the manufacture and sale of counterfeit passports in South Florida, as well as a separate counterfeit currency scheme

Authorities located Morales in December 2025 in a public area of San José. After completing the required legal procedures, OIJ agents arrested him and transferred him to the Migration Apprehension Center in San José, where he remained under standard security measures until his deportation was completed.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida identified Morales as an alleged member of an immigration fraud network that operated in the U.S. State of Florida between 2020 and 2025.

According to the indictment, Morales coordinated the sale of five counterfeit passports from Costa Rica, collected $5,500 in payments, and arranged for the documents to be shipped from Nicaragua to Broward County in South Florida.

Prosecutors allege the fraudulent passports contained legitimate personal information but displayed photographs of different individuals.

In addition to passport fraud allegations, Morales is accused of conspiring to produce $20,000 in counterfeit U.S. currency and exchange it for $6,000 in genuine cash.

The charges against him include conspiracy, passport fraud, identity theft and the production and distribution of counterfeit currency.

Authorities declined to release additional details about the investigation, citing confidentiality rules. They said only the Morales's family members are authorized to request further information.

The OIJ urged the public to report individuals believed to be hiding in Costa Rica while subject to an Interpol Red Notice. Tips may be submitted confidentially through the agency’s 10-digit hotline at 800-8000-645 or its quick-response line at 11-76, where bilingual agents are available in English and Spanish.

The deportation is one of several recent cases involving foreign nationals wanted by authorities in other countries. Earlier this week, Costa Rica deported a 35-year-old Canadian citizen identified by the surname Bou-Saleh, who was wanted in Canada on drug trafficking and arms trafficking charges.

The OIJ, which operates under Costa Rica’s Supreme Court of Justice, is responsible for conducting criminal investigations nationwide and exercises police authority throughout the country.

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