No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeDrug traffickingThree Ecuadorians sentenced in Costa Rica for drug trafficking

Three Ecuadorians sentenced in Costa Rica for drug trafficking

Costa Rican courts have sentenced three Ecuadorians, who were captured a year ago with a cocaine shipment, to eight years of prison for drug trafficking.

The three men were subject to a short trial after pleading guilty to the charges against them, the Public Ministry stated in a press release on Friday.

The South Americans were identified as Jorge Bolívar Chaves and the brothers Mario and José Luis Palma González, who served a preventive prison sentence while awaiting their trial.

The three were detained on Sept. 2, 2016 in Jacó in the Central Pacific of Costa Rica after fleeing from Coast Guard, which had detected them in a boat with a shipment of 331 kilos of cocaine.

A great quantity of the cocaine seized by Costa Rican authorities passes through the country’s Pacific slope, where the Coast Guard operates with information collected by U.S. reconnaissance planes.

Trending Now

Costa Rica Peace Festival Brings Art and Music to Alajuela

A Peace Festival de Arte will stretch out over five months with activities for everyone, starting with an inauguration on Wednesday, September 23 and...

Video of Orcas Spotted Near Costa Rica’s Cocos Island in Rare Encounter

A group of orcas has been spotted near Costa Rica’s Cocos Island, giving park rangers a rare look at one of the ocean’s most...

What Costa Rica’s Record-Low Dollar Means for Expats and Retirees

The dollar fell to another all-time low on Costa Rica's Foreign Exchange Market (Monex) on Wednesday. The drop extends a slide that is steadily...

Costa Rica Businesses Warn Strong Colón Is Threatening Jobs

Costa Rica’s unemployment rate remains low by recent standards, but a closer look at the labor market shows fewer people participating in the workforce...

British Airways Makes Costa Rica a Year-Round London Route

If you have ever tried to book a direct flight between Costa Rica and the United Kingdom in June, you already know the problem....

Why the Same Costa Rica Highways Keep Washing Out

Costa Rica has spent more than ₡86 billion patching and rebuilding roads after floods, slides, and storm damage — and the Comptroller General says...

Chikungunya Cases Rise to 300 in Costa Rica as New Outbreak Hits San José

Costa Rica has reported 300 confirmed and probable cases of chikungunya so far in 2026, as the mosquito-borne virus continues to spread and a...

A Special Season to Rediscover Río Celeste

Hideaway Río Celeste, a 5-star hotel that combines the beauty of nature with the allure and wellness of Río Celeste Its Kantala restaurant is open...

Central America Drought Kills Cattle and Threatens Food Supply

Animals are dropping dead amid the worst drought in living memory for many Central Americans, who are dealing with the unforgiving effects of the...
🌴 The Weekly Pura Vida

Costa Rica, Once a Week

The week's top stories, weather & insider tips — delivered every Sunday. One email, zero clutter.

🔒 Free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Loading…

Latest News from Costa Rica

Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Car Rentals
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel