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Archive photo via U.S. Department of Justice  for illustration purposes only.

U.S. sentenced one Tico in cocaine trafficking case


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Published on Thursday, September 19, 2024
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff and wire services



A tico male (term used for a native of Costa Rica), surnamed Salazar-Montero (35), was sentenced to 63 months incarceration (about 5 years and three months) by Chief District Judge Robert A. Molloy, in the U.S. District of Virgin Islands.



According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Montero was sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine on a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.


The court records show that on November 26, 2020, the United States Coast Guard intercepted a vessel in international waters approximately 115 nautical miles from Isla Malpelo, Colombia.


The vessel had no flag flown nor registration documents and was therefore determined to be a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.


On board the vessel were multiple fuel canisters and 333 kilograms of cocaine. Also on board were Salazar-Montero with another Costa Rican male surnamed Vasquez-Munoz (48). Vasques was pleaded guilty in May.


In the boat with Salazar and Vasquez was a Colombian man surnamed Gomez-Murillo (53), who also pleaded guilty in May.







Vasquez and Gomez are scheduled to be sentenced on October 11, 2024, authorities added.



The case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard and Drug Enforcement Administration and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter.


The U.S.-Costa Rica Joint Patrol Treaty allows the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) to work closely with Costa Rican security authorities.



"Through cooperation and assistance from INL and other law enforcement agencies, Costa Rica confronts its drug trafficking problem by intercepting and confiscating illicit drugs," said the U.S. Department of State in its statement. "Narcotics seizures by the Costa Rican government hit new records in 2020 and 2021, with 72.7 and 71.1 metric tons seized respectively, though seizures declined in 2022 to 54.3 metric tons."



This week, 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.



Recently, the U.S. Coast Guard led another anti-drug operation in Costa Rica that resulted in the arrest of five Colombians for trafficking more than half a ton of cocaine.



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.


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What else can Costa Rican and U.S. forces do in the battle against drug trafficking? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com




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