Celso Gamboa, once Costa Rica’s Security Minister and a Supreme Court judge, now faces extradition to the U.S. for leading a major cocaine trafficking network. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) alleges Gamboa coordinated shipments across Central America, Colombia, and Mexico, and shockingly claimed government backing to pull it off. Arrested in San José yesterday, the 49-year-old awaits trial in Dallas, Texas, on at least two international drug trafficking charges.
The DEA’s case hinges on a September 2023 meeting in San José, where Gamboa met two associates who were secretly DEA informants. Recorded by authorities, he boasted that President Rodrigo Chaves’ administration gave him free rein to smuggle cocaine into Costa Rica, whether by Caribbean or Pacific routes. “The government’s got my back,” he allegedly said, claiming his group controlled how drugs entered the country. Gamboa leaned on his past roles—anti-drug commissioner, intelligence director, and Security Minister—to convince his partners he could dodge scrutiny, according to CRHoy.com.
Two former members of Gamboa’s alleged drug trafficking ring, known as CW-1 and CW-2, spilled details to the DEA. CW-1 said they saw Gamboa’s crew handle maritime cocaine shipments from 2020 to 2022, using his influence over the Coast Guard and port scanners to avoid detection. The operation stretched from Colombia’s Clan del Golfo, a key cocaine supplier, to Mexico’s Gulf Cartel, where Gamboa acted as a regional coordinator. His network reached Guatemala, Honduras, and Panama, moving drugs north to the U.S.
Gamboa’s arrest marks a turning point for Costa Rica, which only recently allowed citizen extraditions for drug crimes after a May 2025 constitutional reform. The OIJ’s Randall Zúñiga called it a “milestone,” noting Gamboa’s case as the second under the new law. But his claims of government support raise tough questions. No officials have been named, and the allegations remain unproven, fueling debate about corruption in Chaves’ administration.
Costa Rica’s role as a drug transit hub has grown, with 32.1 tons of drugs seized in 2024 alone. Gamboa’s case exposes how high-level ties can exploit this, deepening the country’s struggle with trafficking-related violence, which drives 70% of its murders. As Gamboa awaits extradition, Costa Ricans are left wondering how deep the rot goes and whether justice will reach beyond one fallen minister.
