Immigration Step Up Efforts to Battle Illegals in Costa Rica
The battle to stop illegal foreigners from entering costa Rica is a job that never ends and it the last several years the efforts by Costa Rican immigration officals has been intensified.

The Policía Especial de Migración and the Fuerza Pública captured Wednesday a group of South Americans - 10 Ecuadorians, 3 Peruvians and 1 Colombian, who were attempting to enter Costa Rican illegally.

So far this year, immigration authorities have deported 132 individuals of which were 92 Nicaraguans and 32 Colombians.

The latest group was detained in the heights of Cabalceta, that lies between La Cruz and Peñas Blancas, in Guanacaste, bordering with Nicaragua. The group were being led by two Nicaraguan coyotes - those dedicated to the movement of illegal persons between borders - who were also carrying no documents themselves.

According to statements made by the illegals, the group ranged between 20 adn 35 years of age and paid the coyotes us$12.000 to get them to the United States. The group came in to Costa Rica by way of Sixaola, the southern border point with Panama.

"It is important that Costa Rica have a law that makes 'el coyotaje' illegal which will enable us to better control the trafficking of individuals, which has now made Costa Rica a bridge to the U.S." said immigration director, Marco Badilla.

Nine of the group detained were carrying passports but none had the required entry permits to Costa Rica.

To battle this growing problem, immigration official have stepped up their efforts in the past week in the areas of Bagaces, Tamarindo and Liberia, all in the northwest part of Costa Rica in the province of Guanacaste.

In their net, immigration officials with the help of the Fuerza Publica, this weeek detained 21 Nicaraguans, nine Ecuadorians, two Argentines, two Guatemalans, an American, a Peruvian and a Spanish national, who were all in the country with illegally.

The Guatemalans, the Spaniard and the American had entered Costa Rican legally, but their visa permits had expired. Immigration officials said that the Argentines were within their visa period, but were found working illegally. All will be deported within the coming week, according to immigration.

North Americans and Europeans have a 90 day stay in Costa Rica, while most other nationals are allowed a 30 day visitor stay.



 

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