Nicaraguan court orders pretrial detention for cocaine trafficking group

A Nicaraguan court has ordered pretrial detention for Derick Adrián Cárdenas Romero and Erick Josué Cruz, members of the criminal group Renacer. The duo faces charges of organized crime and drug trafficking.

According to the Public Ministry, the group transported between 80 and 160 packages of cocaine up to three times per month. The narcotics originated in Costa Rica, moved through Nicaragua, and were destined for Honduras. Investigations revealed that Cruz led the group, while Cárdenas Romero was responsible for receiving shipments by sea and transporting them by land through Nicaragua.

The arrests occurred on October 8 in the Carazo department, where police discovered 161 packages of cocaine hidden in a vehicle compartment. The total amount of drugs seized was 184.021 kilograms. Authorities also noted that the group was moving large sums of money from Honduras to Costa Rica as proceeds from drug sales. The trial is scheduled to begin on November 30.