HomeNewsBriefGangs Battle for Costa Rica's Local Drug Market
BRIEF

Gangs Battle for Costa Rica's Local Drug Market

COSTA RICA / 25 MAY 2015 BY MICHAEL LOHMULLER EN

Recent bloodshed in Costa Rica's capital has been attributed to gangs battling for control of local drug sales, furthering concerns that the country's development as a major drug transit zone is feeding violence. 

In recent weeks, the neighborhood of Santa Rita de Alajuela, also known as El Infiernillo ("Little Hell”), has seen several violent confrontations between rival gangs, reported La Nacion. After one such clash, police collected over 600 pieces of ballistic evidence; all of which had been fired within 30 minutes.

Costa Rican authorities reportedly believe the violence is the result of two gangs -- the Zamora and Gabinos -- uniting to fight a rival group, the Maracuya. According to news website CR Hoy, six gangs have been identified as disputing territory and drug sales in the area.

The neighborhood of El Infiernillo is reportedly a major hub for drug distribution, including marijuana, cocaine, and crack. A gang headed by Martin Zamora Pachecho, alias "Beto Zamora," used to manage drug sales in the neigborhood, until his organization was dismantled in the early 2000s. 

Francisco Segura, head of Costa Rica’s judicial investigation agency (OIJ), noted that gangs in El Infiernillo are making strong efforts to recruit youths into their ranks, and called the situation “worrying.” Security forces have moved into the area in an effort to quell the violence.  

InSight Crime Analysis

Costa Rica has become an important transit and storage zone for illicit networks moving drugs from South American suppliers to North American consumers. Not only has this led to the creation of local criminal groups involved in the transnational drug trade, but it has fed the local market as more cocaine flows through the country. This has led to increased violence as local street gangs and rival drug trafficking groups battle for control of this market. 

SEE ALSO: Coverage of Costa Rica

Costa Rica has previously had the distinction of avoiding the rampant violence and aggressive gang turf wars seen in other Central American nations. This is clearly no longer the reality, and it is likely that Costa Rica's gangs will continue to become more organized and violent as they vie for control of the country's micro-trafficking trade.

share icon icon icon

Was this content helpful?

We want to sustain Latin America’s largest organized crime database, but in order to do so, we need resources.

DONATE

What are your thoughts? Click here to send InSight Crime your comments.

We encourage readers to copy and distribute our work for non-commercial purposes, with attribution to InSight Crime in the byline and links to the original at both the top and bottom of the article. Check the Creative Commons website for more details of how to share our work, and please send us an email if you use an article.

Was this content helpful?

We want to sustain Latin America’s largest organized crime database, but in order to do so, we need resources.

DONATE

Related Content

COCAINE / 7 APR 2022

Following an accelerating trend in the region, self-described anti-establishment candidate, Rodrigo Chaves, won Costa Rica's runoff presidential election with nearly…

ARGENTINA / 5 JUL 2022

Why did drug trafficking enjoy such a boom during the COVID-19 pandemic…

CHINA AND CRIME / 5 APR 2022

The recent discovery of a copper smuggling ring in Costa Rica sheds light on how copper theft is gradually becoming…

About InSight Crime

THE ORGANIZATION

Venezuela Coverage Continues to be Highlighted

3 MAR 2023

This week, InSight Crime co-director Jeremy McDermott was the featured guest on the Americas Quarterly podcast, where he provided an expert overview of the changing dynamics…

THE ORGANIZATION

Venezuela's Organized Crime Top 10 Attracts Attention

24 FEB 2023

Last week, InSight Crime published its ranking of Venezuela’s ten organized crime groups to accompany the launch of the Venezuela Organized Crime Observatory. Read…

THE ORGANIZATION

InSight Crime on El País Podcast

10 FEB 2023

This week, InSight Crime co-founder, Jeremy McDermott, was among experts featured in an El País podcast on the progress of Colombia’s nascent peace process.

THE ORGANIZATION

InSight Crime Interviewed by Associated Press

3 FEB 2023

This week, InSight Crime’s Co-director Jeremy McDermott was interviewed by the Associated Press on developments in Haiti as the country continues its prolonged collapse. McDermott’s words were republished around the world,…

THE ORGANIZATION

Escaping Barrio 18

27 JAN 2023

Last week, InSight Crime published an investigation charting the story of Desafío, a 28-year-old Barrio 18 gang member who is desperate to escape gang life. But there’s one problem: he’s…