Better Pay Your Debts, There Are Groups Dedicated To Collection And Extortion
According to Jorge Rojas, director of the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ), lenders are resorting to groups made up of "gorillas" to recover what is owed to them, who in turn use extortion tactics to ensure payment. Rojas said that there is at least one "extortion" case a day for his investigators.

Lenders are becoming unconcerned if a borrower pays up or not. Lenders are now turning to organized groups who buy, at a discount, the debt and then use whatever means possible to collect, including threats against the debtors family.

Rojas says that lenders recover a portion of what is owed to them and leave the collection to the gorillas.

The collection gangs are concerned about doing things legal. Rojas says that they start off with a simple phone calls asking for payment, then quickly escalate to violence and extortion if the debtor doesn't pay up. They will quickly make note of the debtors family movements, including which school the children go to.

According to an expert in fraudes at the OIJ, identified only by his last name, Maleaño, the "gorillas" will often visit the debtor at his home and ask for appliances and other valuables in exchange for a cash payment of the debt. Maleaño says they will ask the debtor to sign a consignment agreement in lieu of cash.

The "gorillas", in addition to collection on debts, are also recovering "stolen" vehicles. Victims of stolen vehicles are turning to the gorillas for recovery rather going to the police, said Maleaño.

Director Rojas insists that extortion is not a crime that "citizens have to put with. It has to be reported immediately in this way we can act on the complaint and capture those responsible. If people pay it fosters growth".

Many are placing faith in the new government to use a "strong hand" against violence and crime.

According to Director Rojas, the "gorilla" groups are made up of Costa Rican and Colombian criminals. Police say than in some cases they have discovered Costa Ricans faking Colombian accents to throw them off. Rojas added that a Colombian accent in the case of extortion, especially in drug trafficking and murder for hire holds a lot of weight.

"When you succumb to these monkeys", according to Rojas "a dangerous message is being sent that there was easy payment and gives rise to being a victim again".

Authorities don't have figures on the number of groups or organizations dedicated to this type of illicit activity, however, say that they are well aware of several "private security" companies that are involved, masking as a legitimate security services agency.

Police say that those agencies have legal advisors that tell them how far their thugs can go with intimidation and stay within the law, to avoid reports to the police.

Rojas insists that to battle the robbery of vehicles and extortion the lawmakers need to pass wider "wiretapping" laws that will allow them to intervene telephone communications between members of the group and their victims. The current wiretapping laws are restricted only to cases involving drug trafficking, kidnapping and homicide.