Criminal gangs increasingly recruit minors in Costa Rica and Dominican Republic

Authorities in Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic are addressing rising concerns regarding the involvement of minors and youth in organized crime.

In Costa Rica, Public Security Minister Gerald Campos highlighted the recruitment of minors by drug trafficking organizations to serve as hitmen. This follows a recent incident in Cartago where two minors, aged 16 and 17, were detained during a confrontation that left an investigator wounded. Criminology experts suggest that social exclusion, school dropout rates, and the search for identity make adolescents vulnerable to criminal exploitation.

In the Dominican Republic, intelligence reports indicate the formation of Haitian youth gangs in the La Altagracia province, specifically near the Friusa and Bávaro sectors. These groups are reportedly attempting to acquire firearms to expand their criminal operations. Officials warn that the consolidation of these structures near major tourist hubs like Punta Cana poses a significant threat to national security and the country's vital tourism economy.