Costa Rica police arrest 2 US suspects in hydroponic pot bust
The Costa Rica Prosecutor’s Office requested six months of preventive prison for four suspects from the U.S., Colombia and Costa Rica arrested during four raids around the San José area Thursday.
Authorities discovered 35 doses of LSD and 526 marijuana plants, some up to 2 meters tall, in two marijuana grow houses, according to a statement from the Public Security Ministry Friday.
The U.S. suspects arrested on Thursday were a 44-year-old man with the last name Zev who lived in Escazú and a 31-year-old with the last name Kjar who lived in Heredia, according to the Security Ministry. A 39-year-old Costa Rican man, Sormani, from Pavas and a 29-year-old Colombian man, Mendoza, living in San José were also arrested.
The hydroponic marijuana grow houses were found in San Rafael de Heredia and Pavas. In Pavas, the facility had ventilation ducts hanging from the ceiling alongside grow lights, specialized watering systems and air conditioning units to control the temperature, according to a statement from the Prosecutor’s Office.
Besides growing equipment, police discovered two “how-to” books for marijuana home cultivation, a scale, processing and packaging equipment, two computers, a hard drive, and more than ₡6.8 million — roughly $12,000 — and $2,441 in cash, allegedly from drug sales.
The Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement that it believed the pot and LSD were primarily sold in San José’s Barrio California and in Cartago.
In December, police arrested four Costa Ricans for allegedly selling drugs produced by the suspects arrested Thursday.
You may be interested

Nearly 100 locations now offer antigen tests for travelers in Costa Rica
Alejandro Zúñiga - February 26, 2021Several countries, including the United States, require that returning travelers test negative for the coronavirus. More than 100 labs in…

Costa Rica Covid-19 information from the U.S. Embassy
The Tico Times - February 26, 2021The United States Embassy on Friday issued a summary of Costa Rica's coronavirus measures that our readers may find helpful.…

Costa Rica will (finally) support contactless payments on public transport
Alejandro Zúñiga - February 26, 2021Costa Rica's next step toward modernizing its public transport system will be to allow contactless payments. The Railway Institute (INCOFER)…