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Drug trafficking

Costa Rica dismantles international drug trafficking ring

The 22 people arrested included a police officer and four Coast Guard officers.

Three Ecuadorians sentenced in Costa Rica 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.

Judge approves extradition of Mexican drug lord Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán

Infamous Mexican drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán is one step closer to extradition to the United States after a Thursday ruling.

Five Costa Ricans caught with 600 kilos of cocaine off Colombian coast

Five Costa Rica men were busted on board the Éxito 1 ship that was hauling 626 kilograms of cocaine on Thursday in Colombian waters.

Park rangers arrested in drug bust

Two park rangers were among those arrested Monday in a raid on a drug organization that officials say grew and shipped marijuana from southern Costa Rica.

Costa Rica Coast Guard seizes more than 2 metric tons of cocaine

The four men arrested — three Nicaraguans and a Costa Rican — did not have criminal records. If convicted, they would face up to 20 years in prison.

Police discover 33 illegal landing strips along Pacific coast

One day after a drug plane crashed off the Osa Peninsula, authorities reported the discovery of dozens of illegal airstrips all along Costa Rica's Pacific coast.

Drug plane crashes off Puerto Jiménez in southern Costa Rica

A plane believed to be connected to drug trafficking crashed off the shores of Puerto Jiménez early Tuesday morning. Police found a body floating near the wreckage.

‘El Chapo’ Guzmán and actress Kate del Castillo talked of ‘dream’ meeting in texts

Mexican drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán called actress Kate del Castillo "beautiful," while she confessed her "dream" of meeting him in leaked text messages filled with warm exchanges.

Nicaragua seizes cocaine on board small aircraft from Costa Rica

MANAGUA, Nicaragua – Nicaraguan authorities on Wednesday seized a shipment of cocaine that was flown into the country aboard a small airplane from Costa Rica after the aircraft landed in a northwestern region of the country. The flight's crew managed to escape, police said.
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FBI Deploys Special Unit to Aid Guatemala in Manhunt

Guatemalan officials revealed that a specialized FBI team will join the effort to track down 16 remaining fugitives from the Barrio 18 gang after...

Costa Rica Raid Drug Cartel Linked to Anita McDonald

As we wrote about in an earlier article, authorities struck a significant blow against organized crime today, as they dismantled the South Caribbean Cartel...

San José’s Best Neighborhoods For Travelers Per Lonely Planet

Our capital draws attention in a new Lonely Planet guide that points visitors toward its key districts. Writer Sarah Gilbert portrays the city, called...

Costa Rica Launches Massive Operation Against Drug Cartel

Costa Rican authorities launched a massive crackdown today against the South Caribbean Cartel, marking the largest police operation in the country's history. The Organismo...