[REVISION HISTORY]

Organized crime and drug trafficking in Latin America

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What changed

2026-10-22 00:22 UTC → 2026-10-25 08:51 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Authorities in Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, and Ecuador continue to address various facets of organized crime and drug trafficking. In Costa Rica, concerns persist regarding the recruitment of minors, with Public Security Minister Gerald Campos highlighting that drug trafficking organizations are using adolescents as hitmen. Recent enforcement operations in Costa Rica, supported by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), have targeted international networks. In raids across Sabana Sur, Alajuela, and Esparza, police detained five individuals—including nationals from Costa Rica, Mexico, and Peru—allegedly linked to the Sinaloa Cartel. These operations resulted in the seizure of cocaine, firearms, cash, and jewelry. Additionally, a separate operation near the Panamanian border in the Canoas district led to the seizure of 312 kilograms of cocaine following reports of a suspicious vehicle. Experts from the Universidad Estatal a Distancia (UNED) warn that Costa Rica is evolving from a transit point into a logistical hub for international trafficking, facilitating the storage and distribution of narcotics. This shift is reflected in Costa Rica’s inclusion on the U.S. list of major drug transit or production nations for fiscal year 2027. In a major international crackdown known as Operation Atlas Nexus, the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) arrested 375 individuals and seized over 27.8 tons of drugs, including 24.5 tons of cocaine. This operation also led to the capture of Alejandro Arias Monge, alias ‘Diablo,’ a high-profile fugitive wanted by the DEA. To strengthen legal frameworks, the Costa Rican Legislative Assembly has moved to reform the Organic Law of the Judiciary and create specialized jurisdiction for organized crime via file 23.090. This ~~follows previous efforts to pass the “Law on Sanctioning Membership~~ measure recently passed its second debate with 47 votes in ~~Criminal Organizations.” These reforms aim to address~~ favor, addressing concerns from Attorney General Carlo Díaz Sánchez regarding the expiration of pretrial detention periods.

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