Costa Rica Cracks Down On Fentanyl Gang, Arrests 4

Costa Rica police detained four gang members Tuesday, who were accused of synthetic drug fentanyl trafficking and making.

This was the first time the authorities in the country were making an arrest linked with fentanyl, which was reportedly the reason for several overdose deaths in the U.S.

Of the four suspects, two are Costa Ricans, while the others are Colombians. The suspects were detained with 1,100 fentanyl pills during the operation, supported by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Reuters reported.

Security Minister Mario Zamora said during a press conference that the arrest took place after they raided three towns in central Costa Rica. According to Zamora, the detention of the suspects "raises alarms because it confirms the presence of fentanyl" in Costa Rica.

Zamora said drug had reached the country in the hands of international gangs. However, he refused to comment further on it.

Fentanyl is a powerful drug that has become a global concern due to its contribution to overdose deaths.

Costa Rica, which is located between North and South America, is often used by drug traffickers as a transit point. Since last year, Costa Rican authorities had 10 fentanyl drug-related investigations. Costa Rica has also seen an increase in violent crime, including homicides. This surge has been blamed on gang wars to decide turfs as the country was a prominent transit point.

According to government data, the U.S. has also seen more than 107,000 drug overdose deaths in 2021, with fentanyl being mixed with other drugs during consumption.

The Costa Rica arrests came a day after the U.S. Justice Department ordered Drogueria Betances, one of Puerto Rico's biggest drug distributors, to pay $12 million for not reporting nearly 800 suspicious orders for controlled substances.

The government filed the complaint against the company following a surge in fatal opioid-related overdoses within the U.S. territory, which reportedly claimed the lives of 3.2 million people.