On Tuesday, the Money Laundering Prosecutor's Office ordered the arrest of Meléndez-León (55), a Colombian who became a Costa Rican citizen and is allegedly one of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) top targets.

Meléndez is allegedly a member of the "Clan del Golfo," or Gulf Clan, a well-known neo-paramilitary group and Colombia's largest drug cartel.

Meléndez was arrested along with nine other suspects, including three officials from the Banco de Costa Rica (BCR): Zúñiga-Brenes (54), Salas-Sandoval (40), and Vargas-Mora (54), as well as a religious leader named Barboza-Pilarte (40). Additional suspects were captured, identified as  Asosemena (48), Arce (45), Loria (34), Lara (26), and Campaz (65).

To bring to justice the individuals accused of setting up a drug trafficking gang, the Prosecutor's Office ordered the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ) to execute over 23 raids on their homes and workplaces in the cantons of Ciudad Colón, Mora, and Escazu, these in San José Province.

Furthermore police actions were carried out in Coto Brus canton in Puntarenas Province. Raids continued in the cantons of Upala, Aguas Zarcas, Pital, La Palmera, Río Cuarto, Santa Rosa, and Pocosol in Alajuela Province.

Investigators believe the accused individuals brought the narcotics from Colombia by boat and subsequently transported them to San Carlos Canton in Alajuela Province. They then hid the drugs in pineapple and yuca cargoes bound for Europe and the U.S.

Authorities think these people are involved in the seizure of 120 kilograms of cocaine trafficked to Spain, as well as another shipment of 220 kilograms of cocaine found at the APM Terminals Port in Limón Province.

During the operation, officers seized cash, computers, phones, guns, ammunition, vehicles, documents and more than seven packages of cocaine, all of which will be used as evidence in the investigation.

The suspects were taken to the cells of the San José Public Ministry, where they had to wait for a judge to order pre-trial prison indicted of the alleged crime of international drug trafficking.

According to a report published by the New York Times, Costa Rica is being infiltrated by drug cartels seeking new trafficking routes to evade the authorities.

Costa Rica seized 43.5 tons of drugs and arrested over 190,000 offense suspects in 2023, reported the Ministry of Public Security.

Costa Rican authorities urge people to report any suspicion of drug sales or trafficking to the ten-digit confidential line 800-8000-645 or fast line 11-76, where bilingual agents can answer calls in English or Spanish.

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