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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT, MARCH 1996: COSTA RICA

United States Department of State

Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs


COSTA RICA

I. Summary

Costa Rica is a transshipment point for cocaine being moved from South America to the U.S. Costa Ricans have become increasingly concerned by rising domestic drug consumption and associated violence. Money laundering in banking and tourism remains a serious problem. President Figueres has assigned a high national priority to fighting drug- trafficking and money laundering. The Government of Costa Rica (GOCR) established a national anti-money laundering commission with representatives from the public and private sectors. During 1995, authorities disbanded major drug organizations and seized significant amounts of cocaine and heroin. Costa Rica is a party to the 1988 UN Convention.

II. Status of Country

Costa Rica's location on the land bridge from drug-producing areas in South America makes it a link in the drug smuggling chain. Traffickers continue to smuggle cocaine and heroin through Costa Rica on small aircraft, surface vehicles, human couriers, and vessels through the port of Limon. Costa Ricans are concerned about rising levels of domestic consumption of crack cocaine and its effect on crime and other social ills. The GOCR has attempted to meet this challenge by adopting strict anti-drug measures. Enforcement activities, however, are limited by resource constraints, and trafficking activity is outstripping efforts to contain it.

Through most of the year, Costa Rica's Counternarcotics Intelligence Center (CICAD), which operates the country's JICC (Joint Information Coordination Center), was beset by personnel problems, particularly in its leadership. As a result, the USG did not share drug-related information with CICAD in 1995. In December, the GOCR appointed a new director and deputy director, and USG and GOCR officials were working toward restoration of CICAD's effectiveness.

III. Country Actions Against Drugs in 1995

Policy Initiatives. President Figueres emphasized his determination to fight drug traffickers by combining the ministries of Government and Public Security. Costa Rica established an anti-money laundering commission comprised of representatives from government ministries and the banking sector. CFATF experts conducted a "mutual evaluation" of Costa Rica's money-laundering controls in October. At GOCR request, the U.S. military deployed three drug-detector dogs and dog-handlers to Costa Rica to assist police in searching containerized maritime and air cargo. The GOCR also permitted the basing of a U.S. Coast Guard aircraft as part of Operation Green Clover. Late in 1995, Costa Rican and Nicaraguan police intensified border inspections under a regional counter-drug initiative. The Health Ministry operates a stringent program to control precursor chemicals and prescription drugs, an area of increasing official attention.

Accomplishments. GOCR/USG joint activities in the anti-drug area remain harmonious and productive. DEA agents and GOCR police cooperated closely in the April arrest of major drug trafficker Ricardo Alem in Miami, Florida. A Costa Rican court subsequently sentenced Alem to 12 years in prison on 1988 money laundering charges. In August, the Organization of Judicial Investigation (OIJ) conducted raids that resulted in arrests, seizures, and the dismantling of a major drug organization. The Vargas Hidalgo brothers were arrested on charges of cocaine trafficking and are in prison waiting trial. Authorities made a number of arrests that dismantled or disrupted cocaine and marijuana trafficking groups in the latter part of the year. In December authorities arrested four traffickers and seized 121 kg of cocaine concealed in a truck traveling along the inter-American highway.

Law Enforcement Efforts. OIJ operates a small, professional counter- drug unit that specializes in international cases while the drug control police conduct domestic operations. Both units employed court-ordered wiretaps in major drug cases under the authority of the 1994 wiretap law. The Figueres administration continued to implement a program to professionalize the police force. The Ministry of Public Security improved police academy courses for new recruits. After a year of personnel problems, a new director was appointed to the JICC at year's end and USG and GOCR officials were attempting to restore its effectiveness. The heightened awareness of transit police to the potential threat of drug-smuggling vehicles has resulted in some arrests and seizures.

Corruption. Senior Costa Rican officials have repeatedly pledged to prosecute all cases of official corruption. Although no accusations have been directed at senior officials, some mid-level personnel, including local police commanders, have been dismissed, transferred, and in some cases prosecuted. Police arrested a rural guard officer for protecting drug operations. In December, the OIJ arrested a patrol officer and an accomplice who had attempted to sell 322 kg of marijuana.

Agreements and Treaties. The GOCR responded to U.S. extradition requests by applying domestic law rather than an international agreement, since the USG/GOCR extradition treaty was declared "inapplicable" by the Costa Rican Supreme Court in 1993. This mechanism complicates extradition cases and may have made it possible for a number of fugitives to escape justice, particularly because of the absence of practical provisional arrest authority. In November the legislative assembly ratified the Permanent Central American Commission's counter- drug agreement. Costa Rica became a party to the 1988 UN Convention in 1991. In September, Costa Rica and Nicaragua signed a border cooperation agreement to fight drug trafficking, illegal immigration, and transport of stolen vehicles.

Cultivation and Production. Cannabis grown on small, widely dispersed plots in mountainous regions in northern and southern Costa Rica is still relatively minor in volume. Police reportedly destroyed over 200,000 marijuana plants during 1995.

Drug Flow and Transit. Traffickers continue to use Costa Rica as a transshipment area for cocaine from Colombia. USG and GOCR counter-drug authorities believe that there may be an increase in the amount of heroin being smuggled in small amounts through Costa Rica to the U.S. or Europe.

Domestic Programs. The GOCR is concerned by increased domestic drug usage. The National Drug Council (CONADRO) has established demand reduction committees in communities throughout the country. In November, U.S. and Costa Rican instructors trained police officials from four Latin American countries in demand reduction techniques under the auspices of the US-based DARE program.

IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs

Policy Initiatives. USG goals are to enhance police detection and interdiction capacity; to destroy marijuana fields; to develop drug awareness programs, and to strengthen regional and international anti- drug cooperation. Specific objectives include providing training for drug control police, professionalizing police forces, restoring JICC effectiveness, enhancing precursor chemical controls, and improving the operational and maintenance capabilities of the Public Security Ministry's air and maritime sections.

Bilateral Cooperation. During 1995, the USG supplied spare parts to the air and maritime services, and computer and office equipment to the National Drug Council's drug awareness program. The USG has also contributed computer equipment to the Health Ministry's precursor chemical control program.

Road Ahead. The U.S. seeks to improve GOCR abilities to curtail the use of Costa Rica as a transshipment area, discourage drug consumption, fight corruption, and counter money laundering. The GOCR should: continue efforts to develop professional police forces; strengthen laws against drug trafficking and money laundering; and, reinstate the bilateral extradition treaty as soon as possible.

[Editor's Note: EXCEL file; see Charts and Graphs Directory]

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