On Sunday, October 13, the community of Samara was flooded by about 100 officers from the Public Force and the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ) during a major sting operation to dismantle an alleged Colombian drug ring that resulted in the arrest of 13 individuals. Of those arrested, five were important individuals identified during a yearlong investigation of drug sales, according to Omar Chavarria, Public Force chief for the canton of Nicoya. All five received sentences of 6 months of preventive prison. The other individuals were arrested for immigration issues.
The raid was carried out at 6 a.m. on a Sunday and took those arrested by surprise. Arrests were made at the homes of the suspects, in public roadways, at a laundry business and at a bar that was run by one of the suspects. Authorities seized about 7 kilos of drugs, including cocaine and marijuana, around two million colones ($4000) cash, which presumably was from illegal sales, as well as seven firearms, of which four were pistols and three revolvers.
Chavarria said the investigation was the result of meetings held with members of the Samara community, who expressed that one of their main concerns was the sale of drugs by Colombians living in the community. Chavarria considers this operation to be a successful culmination to the ongoing investigation.
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