Costa Rica extradites Colombian Clan del Golfo member to US

Costa Rica transferred Colombian national John Céspedes Yanes to the United States to face federal drug‑trafficking charges. The extradition, carried out on July 23, follows a request from the U.S. Eastern District Court in Texas and involved coordination between the DEA, Costa Rica's Public Ministry and the Organismo de Investigación Judicial.

Céspedes, already serving a nine‑year sentence in Costa Rica for possession, storage and transport of narcotics, is accused of a leadership and coordination role within the Clan del Golfo, a transnational cartel that operates from Colombia through Central America to North America. After trial in the United States, he will be returned to Costa Rica to complete the remainder of his domestic sentence. The case highlights Costa Rica's recent legal reforms allowing extradition of nationals and its broader strategy to combat organized crime through international judicial cooperation.