Costa Rican deputy proposes cash limits for narcotics defense fees

Costa Rican Deputy Antonio Trejos of the Frente Amplio has introduced a legislative proposal to limit cash payments for legal defense fees in cases involving narcotics and organized crime. The initiative seeks to amend Law 7786 to ensure financial traceability and prevent money laundering.

The project proposes that professional fees for representing individuals accused or convicted of crimes related to drug trafficking and money laundering may only be paid in cash up to a limit of ten base salaries. Based on 2026 projections, this limit would be approximately 4,622,000 colones. Any amount exceeding this threshold, or cumulative payments for the same professional relationship that reach this limit, must be processed through supervised financial institutions via checks or transfers.

Trejos, a lawyer by profession, stated that the measure is intended to track the flow of money used by criminal structures rather than infringing upon the constitutional right to a defense or attorney-client privilege. He emphasized that the goal is to close economic loopholes that allow organized crime to persist.