Costa Rica, with assistance from the United States, carried out a large-scale deportation operation Wednesday under the Costa Rica Deportation Assistance Pilot, or CDAP, removing 20 foreign nationals who had been convicted of crimes, the General Directorate of Migration (DGME) reported.

U.S. authorities provided a charter flight that departed early Wednesday from Juan Santamaría International Airport in Alajuela Province, according to Costa Rican immigration officials.

The flight transported Colombian and Ecuadorian nationals who were expelled from Costa Rica after serving prison sentences for crimes committed in the country.

The aircraft first traveled to Colombia, where 14 Colombian nationals (12 men and two women) were turned over to local authorities. The individuals had completed prison sentences in Costa Rica for crimes including drug trafficking, attempted murder and aggravated robbery before being deported.

The operation brings the number of foreign nationals deported under the U.S.-assisted operations to nearly 80.

All of the removals were carried out in accordance with Costa Rican law and international human rights agreements, officials said.

The operation marked the third U.S.-assisted mass deportation from Costa Rica this year.   In June, 26 foreign nationals convicted of crimes in Costa Rica were deported to South America.

In March, the United States assisted Costa Rica in deporting 33 foreign nationals who had also been expelled after committing crimes in the country.

Costa Rican authorities urged the public to report foreign nationals believed to be living illegally in the country.  Tips can be submitted confidentially through the Migration Police hotline at 2106-4001  or 2106-4005. Bilingual agents are available in English and Spanish.


The DGME, Costa Rica's immigration authority, oversees visas, residency, work permits and other immigration-related processes for foreign nationals living in the country.