Last Sunday, two men opened fire at a Police Force patrol car carrying two officers during a chase, in Batán, Limón province. Mainor Obregón, the driver of the patrol car, was struck by one of the bullets, causing the vehicle to leave the road and overturn. The other officer, identified by the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) as Vargas, 34, sustained various injuries in the incident.
Unfortunately, Obregón died as a result of the attack on the patrol car, which was carried out using a machine gun. Police sources confirmed that the fallen officer had served in the security forces for 11 years.
Two young men were allegedly responsible for the officer’s death. One of them, an 18-year-old named Cruz, was arrested a few hours after the homicide. The other suspect, a 19-year-old man, was released due to insufficient evidence linking him to the case. Cruz was placed in pretrial detention for six months, as ruled by court authorities on Tuesday, December 31.
Authorities believe this resolution may have motivated another attack that happened on December 31st. Two men on a motorcycle opened fire with assault rifles at the OIJ facilities in Batán. The attack, confirmed by local OIJ officials, caused no injuries, as the building was unoccupied at the time.
Operation Caribe 2.0
The OIJ will implement Operation Caribe 2.0 in Batán, deploying 80 investigation agents to reinforce security in the area. This decision follows a series of direct confrontations between criminal organizations and various police forces. The operation aims to provide a strong and decisive response to the recent aggressions against the OIJ in Batán.
Additionally, authorities plan to arrest 20 individuals with outstanding warrants and dismantle criminal groups operating in the region. Randall Zúñiga, director of the OIJ, cautioned that violence might escalate and emphasized the need for preventive measures.
“We are concerned that the level of violence could increase in the coming months. We will besiege drug sales operations and ensure their failure. This is why we are deploying such a significant contingent,” Zúñiga stated.
