Immigration Continues
Operatives Against
Illegals
The Costa Rican
immigration service is
hitting hard against
illegals in Costa Rica
with a series of
operatives in all parts
of the country, and
especially in the San
José metropolitan area.
Immigration police
officials have been
patrolling the streets
of downtown San José for
the past week, asking
foreigners for their
immigration status.
Yesterday, operatives in
Barrio México, Barrio
Los Angeles, Plaza
González Víquez, the
downtown core, Tibás and
La Uruca netted 72
illegals, the majority
Colombian and Nicaraguan
nationals.
One immigration offical
who spoke to Inside
Costa Rica on the basis
of anonymity confirmed
that the intense
operations are linked to
the assassination plot
discovered against the
ministro de Seguridad
and the ministro de la
Presidencia.
Last Saturday, five
Colombians were deported
for being in the country
illegally, alleged to be
part of an assassination
squad sent to Costa Rica
by a Colombian cartel to
get rid of ministers
Berrocal and Arias, for
the hits on the drug
trafficking that has
resulted in the
confiscation of 40
tonnes of cocaine in the
past 12 months.
For his part the
viceministro de
Seguridad, Rafael
Gutiérrez Gómez, said
this is a "preventive
measure" which has been
in effect for several
months.
The operation on Tuesday
involved raids on
hotels, cuarterias
(rooming houses) and
apartment buildings and
more than 300 persons
questioned.
The immigration service
said that they are
questioning a number of
the detained on the
legality of their
marriage to Costa Rican
nationals.
Though immigration
officials are not out on
"witch hunt", they are
patrolling the Avenida
Central and immediate
areas and have been
asking many foreigners
for their cedula or
passport.
Immigration officials
will accept a photocopy
of the passport or
residency cedula,
including the page with
the "entry" stamp to
satisfy the legal
standing. However, if
there is a question on
the legal status, the
original document must
be produced.
Taking part in the
immigration operatives
are also the Policía
Municipal (municipal
police) which have
closed down 7 commercial
establishments for non
compliance of municipal
codes; the Policía de
Tránsito, finding a
number of vehicles with
altered registration
numbers; the Organismo
de Investigación
Judicial (OIJ), the
judicial police; and
officials of the Fuerza
Pública (police).
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