Costa Rica’s Financial Sanctions List Expanded to Combat Narcotics Trafficking

Washington D.C. - A Significant Expansion of Financial Sanctions

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has announced a significant expansion of its financial sanctions list targeting Costa Rican narcotics traffickers, in support of President Biden’s National Drug Control Strategy and in cooperation with the government of Costa Rica.

Gilbert Hernan de Los Angeles Bell Fernandez Designated

Gilbert Hernan de Los Angeles Bell Fernandez, also known as “Macho Coca”, has been designated for his role in driving up violence and homicide rates in Costa Rica. According to the State Department’s 2023 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, Costa Rica has seen a surge in drug-related crime, with the national homicide rate increasing by 11% over the past decade.

The Impact of Drug Trafficking on Costa Rica

Bell, who is believed to be one of the most prolific drug traffickers in Limón province, has been linked to large-scale cocaine shipments and is notorious for his violent tactics. He was arrested by Costa Rican authorities in 2015 on drug-related charges and has had property seized in multiple raids.

The Broader Effort to Combat Drug Trafficking

The designation comes as part of a broader effort to combat the growing domestic drug problem in Costa Rica, which has seen drugs warehoused in the country increasingly enter the local market and fueling domestic criminal activity. The province of Limón is particularly hard-hit, with a homicide rate of 35.8 per 100,000 inhabitants.

Sanctions Imposed by OFAC

The sanctions imposed by OFAC prohibit all transactions by US persons or within the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons. Any entities owned 50% or more by one or more blocked persons are also subject to blocking.

A Major Step Forward in Combating Drug Trafficking

The move is seen as a major step forward in the global effort to combat drug trafficking and reduce violence in Costa Rica, which has been plagued by a growing narcotics trade over recent years.