The figure is an estimate made by the Intelligence Directorate in Costa Rica released by the US State Department, along with information that indicates a rise in criminal organizations based in the country, and little capacity to combat them.
Money laundering is a criminal activity that handles amounts that are difficult to measure. For example, the report "Illicit Financial Flows from Developing Countries: 2004-2013" by Global Financial Integrity says that during the aforementioned 10 year period, the flow of illicit money from Costa Rica exceeded $11 billion, that is about $1.1 billion a year.
Assurance has been given that companies where Continental Group or its shareholders have a minority participation may continue to operate normally.
As outlined in an article on Televicentro.hn , the general coordinator of Government, Jorge Ramon Hernandez Alcerro, stated that "... 'there are over 40 companies' which have with less than 50 percent in shares of Continental Group, whose president is the banker and politician Jaime Rosenthal."
Drug trafficking and gangs are the main factors responsible for intentional murders in the most violent countries in the world: Honduras, Belize, El Salvador and Guatemala.
According to a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime at the United Nations (UNODC), in 2012 Honduras recorded 90.4 killings per 100,000 inhabitants.
In Belize, the homicide rate is 44.7 per 100 thousand inhabitants, in El Salvador it is 41.2, and in Guatemala is 39.9.
The state prosecutor has signalled the penetration of drug trafficking organizations in the Panamanian economy and in political institutions.
According to the prosecutor, Ana Belfon, during her first year of work she has perceived an increased penetration of organized crime into the economy and institutions of the Panamanian government.
"No wonder drug traffickers can penetrate institutions, since they have practically created a parallel economy," Belfon said.
An ECLAC study has revealed that companies in Guatemala and El Salvador pay the highest costs because of organized crime in Latin America.
According to data from the Global Competitiveness Index 2012-13, analyzed by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), in its report on safety in the logistics sector in the region, Guatemala has a score of 1.86, on a scale of 1 to 7, regarding the influence of crime and violence in operating costs of enterprises, where 1 is "very much" and 7 means "nothing".
In only one year, seizures of cocaine have doubled, totaling over 15 tons with a U.S. market value of $2 billion.
Costa Rica, the Central American country noted for its economic development, its institutions, and social peace, is part of the land corridor where there is an increase in the operations of Mexican and Colombian cartels to transport drugs to the United States, the largest consumer of drugs in the world.
Private companies will participate in monitoring the results of the plan.
Following Colombia’s example, where monitoring by the private business sector was instrumental in implementing the security measures proposed by the government, businessmen from El Salvador will monitor the security plan and the tax on large amounts of capital.
The methods used to finance the government's ambitious plan to combat insecurity is the private sector’s main concern, because to apply the tax on large capital (assets over $500 thousand) a significant portion of the country’s business could be affected .
Widespread corruption, institutional weakness, disputes between countries, and resistance to more taxes, are jeopardizing the chances of success of the plan and its 22 projects.
A summit held in Guatemala, where for the first time since 1856 Central American countries agreed to fight together, culminated in joint action plans to combat drug trafficking.
The funds will be used to strengthen programs to combat organized crime in the country.
The prevention, rehabilitation and strengthening of law enforcement are some of the areas that will be enhanced with the injection of new resources.
The loan, granted by the Inter-American Development Bank, was signed by President Laura Chinchilla in the institution's headquarters in Washington as part of the business tour business that the president is currently taking.
From El Salvador, the US president offered the funds for regional security projects.
Regarding distribution of funds, the president said Central American countries will be the ones deciding how to invest the funds according to their particular needs.
Laprensagrafica.com reported statements from Barack Obama, "It will be a program designed and led by Central American governments in the region ...
The lack of government capacity and economic power disadvantage compared to the drug industry, has lead to an increase in violence and corruption.
"Using systematic violence and corruption, intimidation and extortion of public officials, the wealthy and powerful criminal groups have been able to weaken police and judicial systems. They often use violence to threaten or punish anonymous complainants.
New regulations in El Salvador to tackle gang violence foster the development of regional measures to control and proscribe local gangs.
In order to prevent gang members from fleeing the country to avoid jail, especially to Guatemala and Honduras, these countries has activated extra security measures at their borders.
President Funes asked Guatemala and Honduras to join the fight against organized crime, which has been growing as drugs cartels associate with local gangs.
Organized crime, especially the one related to drug trafficking, recruits its members in young, marginalized populations.
Antonio María Costa, executive director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), stated that “Central America is very vulnerable to organized crime, due to a series of factors which include underdevelopment, large flow of guns and a young population”.
Life in Mexico is becoming uncomfortable for drug traffickers who find it easy to install themselves and continue their operations in Costa Rica.
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.