Gringo Cocaine Suspect Heading Back to U.S.

Judicial Investigation Police on Tuesday arrested U.S. citizen Michael L. Mayer in Jacó, on the central Pacific coast, on charges of cocaine trafficking and money laundering.

The 55-year-old man, who was residing in Punta Leona, was indicted on charges of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in a Maine state court on Nov. 16, U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) spokeswoman Rogene Waite said.

According to an Interpol press release, Mayer was located and arrested after a joint investigation between the moneylaundering unit of the Judicial

Investigation Police (OIJ) and the DEA. A Tico judge issued an arrest warrant for him on April 25.

The press release states Mayer, from his then-residence in Florida, supplied cocaine and other “illegal substances” to dealers – old childhood friends – in Maine between 2002 and 2005.

Without naming them, the press release states some of his accomplices have been incarcerated in the United States since 2004.

Mayer’s arrest was part of simultaneous operations conducted in the United States to “dismantle this criminal organization,” the release states.

As of press time, Mayer was in Costa Rican custody, awaiting extradition.