More than 2,600 people were detained after the first week of a special operation against organized crime launched by the Costa Rican government to stop the increase in violent deaths in the country, authorities reported Tuesday.
Since last Tuesday the President of Costa Rica, Rodrigo Chaves, announced the operation “Costa Rica Segura”, which implies an increase in the number of police officers on the streets and the incorporation of 700 uniformed officers, the operations have not stopped.
The Deputy Minister of Public Security, Police Commissioner Daniel Calderón, highlighted in a video provided to the press that 16 captured were for crimes against life and more than 90 for crimes against property, mainly assault.
Also 60 detainees who had “pending issues with justice,” Calderón said.
“It is very important so that they face the crimes for which they are already subject to a process, or in other cases, they go to the penal centers to serve their sentence,” added the uniformed officer.
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In addition to the arrests, 47 firearms, 11 “less lethal” weapons and 106 bladed weapons were seized, as well as various amounts of different drugs.
The special operation, which will last six months, was initially rejected by the agents, who demonstrated in the streets of the country, considering it unfair that their rest day was reduced. After meetings between the government and the police they stopped the mobilizations.
The Costa Rican government seeks to combat organized crime and the escalation of homicides in various parts of the country, which made 2022 the year with the most violent deaths since there are records.
According to the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), in 2022 there were 856 homicides in Costa Rica, a record number. The rate of violent deaths per 100,000 inhabitants rose to 12.6, against 11.4 in 2021.
Of those deaths, 63% were settling scores between criminals. So far in 2023, 261 homicides have been registered, according to the OIJ.
