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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
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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