Jacó Focus of Police Action To Combat Prostitution And Drugs
During the past week, local television news channel 7's Telenoticias turned its cameras on Playa de Jacó, the closest beach to San José and most visited by both nationals and tourists.

Jacó has grown considerably over the past few years. What was once a small beach town crammed by nationals during the mid-year school break and summer vacations, and visited by tourists all year round, has now become a "happening" place.

Many are now calling Jacó home. A number of high rise condominiums recently constructed and under construction now dominate the skyline. Visitors to Jacó are buying up the condos like the proverbial hotcakes.

But with that comes the dark side of the town. Telenoticias cameras wanted to expose another that dark side, with a series of reports aired during the afternoon and evening news, the prostitutes and drugs that have claimed Jacó their own.

The reports demonstrated how the fun of the sun by day turns into fun in the bars and hotels by night. Colombian and Nicaraguan women compete with Costa Rican women for the "johns". There are a number of local bars that allow or at least do not discourage "working" women to frequent their establishment which bring in the men.

Many women leave the San José nightspots to work in Jacó. Along with the women, a group of transvestites are also doing a booming business.

All this attention by Telenoticias prompted the authorities to take a closer look.

Friday and Saturday night authorities mounted a series of "operatives" or raids on a number of nightspots, set up roadblocks that lead into and out of Jacó and checked for documentation on the beaches.

The net result of the intensive police operation was the detainment of 15 foreigners who were in the country illegally. Among the illegals were a Swiss national,  two Americans and a number of Colombian and Nicaraguan women offering sexual services. In addition, police seized from the possession of the foreigners a quantity of marijuana.

Authorities say that the operatives will continue as they battle the fight against prostitution and drugs in the area.

Some local business owners welcome the police action, saying on camera that it was about time someone did something as the situation was just totally out of hand. Business owners who depend solely on the tourist business say that the drugs have been keeping many visitors away from the area or those who came never to come back.

The notoriety hurts business, many will tell you. As much as they welcome the increased traffic of people to the area, the dark side makes it more difficult for those who depend solely on tourism.

Authorities say they are not just concentrating on Jacó, but will also be mounting similar operatives in Quepos/Manual Antonio and Parrita, all south of Jacó.