U.S. sanctions Costa Ricans involved in drug trafficking operations
- The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned four Costa Rican men and two entities due to their involvement in drug trafficking and money laundering.
- The sanctions are part of a broader initiative to address the surge in cocaine trafficking through Costa Rica and its impact on U.S. communities.
- These actions highlight the ongoing collaboration between U.S. and Costa Rican authorities in combatting organized crime and drug-related violence.
In August 2025, the U.S. Treasury Department, via its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), imposed sanctions on four Costa Rican men and two businesses, signaling a continued crackdown on narcotics trafficking linked to criminal cartels in Central America. This action is a response to allegations of involvement in narcotics trafficking and money laundering by these individuals, who are seen as integral to the flow of cocaine into the United States. The crackdown aligns with broader efforts by U.S. authorities to disrupt networks that have made Costa Rica a significant transit point for cocaine originating from Colombia. The sanctioned individuals include Celso Manuel Gamboa Sanchez and Edwin Danney Lopez Vega, both of whom have been implicated in facilitating the transportation of massive quantities of cocaine through Costa Rica. Gamboa, who previously held a high-ranking position as vice minister of public security, allegedly used his position to gather intelligence on law enforcement activities and sold that information to criminal entities. Alongside Gamboa, Lopez is accused of collaborating with him to launder drug-related finances. Alejandro Antonio James Wilson and Alejandro Arias Monge, the latter being a fugitive on Costa Rica's most wanted list, are also directly linked to these trafficking operations. The sanctions reflect the U.S. Treasury's ongoing commitment to combat drug trafficking organizations that threaten the safety of American communities. The rising rates of drug-related violence and overdoses in the U.S., exacerbated by fentanyl-laced cocaine, have prompted such decisive actions. As of October 2024, cocaine was linked to over 22,000 overdose deaths. Furthermore, Costa Rica has seen a surge in violence correlated with the drug trade, particularly in regions like Limón, where criminal groups are engaged in fierce battles for control over drug trafficking routes and distribution points, especially the Moin container terminal. The situation has escalated alarmingly since the port's opening. Costa Rican law enforcement, under constitutional reforms facilitating extradition for drug trafficking offenses, arrested Gamboa and Lopez, who now await extradition to the United States.