Drug trafficking ring connected to El Chapo's Sinaloa Cartel disbanded and $19.9 million worth of cocaine seized in Costa Rican raids
Costa Rica authorities brought down a drug trafficking ring linked to Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán’s old Sinaloa Cartel.
Agents arrested two women and nine men during a series of 11 raids in the provinces of San Carlos, Heredia and Moravia on Wednesday, the Judicial Investigation Body announced.
The apprehensions were part of an investigation that started in June 2019 when authorities learned of two men only identified by their last names, Patterson and Gómez, who reported directly to a Mexican men identified as Leal García.
‘It is linked to a group that settled in our country that had a direct relationship with the Sinaloa Cartel and that was using our territory to transport cocaine to Mexico,’ said Walter Espinoza, head of the Judicial Investigation Body.
Nine alleged members of a drug trafficking ring linked to the Sinaloa Cartel were arrested Wednesday in Costa Rica, according to Judicial Investigation Body
The apprehensions were part of an investigation that was initiated June 2019 when Costa Rica officials learned the group was receiving cocaine and marijuana from Colombia before it was ferried through Guatemala and eventually to Mexico
Pictured in a motorboat used to traffic drugs by a Costa Rica-based drug ring which was reportedly linked to El Chapo's old Sinaloa Cartel
The group reportedly stockpiled cocaine and marijuana that was delivered from Colombia before it was moved through Guatemala before reaching Mexico. The massive shipments were then smuggled into the United States.
The Judicial Investigation Body said the drug traffickers also used secret airstrips and vehicles to shuttle the drugs and weapons.
The drug ring allegedly used clandestine airstrips to traffic cocaine and marijuana
Pictured above is some of the ammunition that was seized during 11 raids in Costa Rica
Pictured is above is a rifle belonging to a drunk trafficking network in Costa Rica with alleged ties to the Sinaloa Cartel
Weapons and ammunition seized Wednesday by Costa Rica authorities as part of 11 raids which led to the arrest of nine individuals who allegedly trafficked cocaine and marijuana to Mexico for the Sinaloa Cartel
The 13-month investigation also led to the arrests of Patterson and Gómez in May when authorities confiscated 358 kilos of cocaine in Alajuela.
A second bust, also in May, led to the arrest of Leal García and 58 kilos of cocaine.
The seized cocaine stockpile is valued at $19.9 million in the United States.
An unknown number of AK-47s, 9 mm guns, rifles and vehicles were confiscated.
Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán, co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, is currently serving a life sentence in the United States