Costa Rica News – The Drug Control Police detain at least three people a month with cocaine or marijuana. In all of 2016, only six were captured.
There’s been a big change this year. As of October 10th, 29 have fallen.
The narcos are carrying less now, however. The six people last year carried 16 kilos with 845 grams of cocaine and two grams of marijuana. The 29 this year carried 14 kilos, with 61 grams of cocaine and 7.5 kilos of marijuana. By carrying a smaller amount, they try to circumvent police controls and being detained.
Most traffickers try to take the cocaine to Europe, where the value is seven times higher, or Oceania, where it’s 10 times higher.
A kilo of cocaine in Costa Rica is worth about $9,000 whereas in Spain it’s $75,000 and in Australia $124,000.
The latest case involves a man named Alvarado carrying seven kilos of cocaine in his suitcase, among coffee bags intended to mislead the nose of dogs who search for narcotics. He was preparing to travel to Spain. Police seized the bags and cash.
The penalty for drug trafficking is between eight and 20 years in prison.
