Interpol agents, in coordination with Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ), arrested a 34-year-old Costa Rican man identified as Sandí, who was deported from the United States on Monday.


Authorities reported that Sandí was sentenced in Costa Rica in 2021 to eight years in prison for drug trafficking and armed robbery. However, he fled the country before beginning his sentence. The Criminal Court of Puntarenas subsequently issued an arrest warrant, along with an international alert.


Later, they were informed that Sandí had been apprehended in the United States. After completing his sentence there, U.S. officials issued a deportation order returning him to Costa Rica.


Sandí was deported on Monday and taken into custody by OIJ agents at 12:35 p.m. at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) in Alajuela. He was then transferred to the offices of the Public Ministry, where a judge will determine the execution of his pending prison sentence.

The extradition treaty between the U.S. and Costa Rica has been in effect since 1982, according to the U.S. Congress. In May 2025, Costa Rica approved a constitutional reform permitting the extradition of its nationals accused of drug trafficking or terrorism abroad.

Recently, a Costa Rican man surnamed Picado-Grijalba was arrested following a request from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). He is wanted by the U.S. Department of Justice in connection with an international drug trafficking investigation, based on a court order issued in Dallas, Texas.

Additionally, Wesley Wynne, a federal prosecutor from the Eastern District of Texas, traveled to Costa Rica to meet with authorities and several Costa Ricans facing extradition to the U.S. on drug trafficking charges.

The OIJ urges the public to report anyone who may be subject to international arrest. Confidential tips can be submitted via the hotline at 800-8000-645 or the quick line at 11-76. Bilingual agents are available in English and Spanish.

As Costa Rica’s criminal investigative agency under the Supreme Court of Justice, the OIJ holds nationwide police authority and conducts criminal investigations throughout the country.