Drug Trafficking in Costa Rica on the Rise

Life in Mexico is becoming uncomfortable for drug traffickers who find it easy to install themselves and continue their operations in Costa Rica.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

According to the Costa Rican Drug Institute (ICD), the confiscation of cocaine rose from 3 thousand tons in 2002 to more than 32 thousand tons in 2007, and this does not appear to be due to increased efficiency of the authorities responsible for traffic enforcement, but merely that Costa Rica has become the passage route by air, sea and land for the drug to United States. It is estimated that the relationship between drugs captured and the total traffic through the country is 1:10.

Drug traffic naturally raises drug crime in the country, and it especially increases the violence of the crimes. The fighting between gangs and groups for land parcels for the internal sales of drugs cause more deaths each time.

As part of the topic, it is discussed whether the assistance provided by the United States to the Costa Rican government to fight drug trafficking is adequate.

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