TNAG-1709-FCO40-2384-Hong-Kong-narcotics-offences-and-drug-trafficking-1988 — Page 30

-21-

There has been no activity on MLAT'S or

extradition treaties, nor is any required.

is any required. A U.S. Marshal

A U.S. Marshal was assigned on temporary duty to the Embassy in late April and early May as part of Operation Want directed against U.S. fugitives. The U.S. received complete cooperation from the Belizean Police

authorities.

In March the GOB, with INM and United Kingdom financial and organizational support, hosted the first Caribbean regional drug prevention conference. In June, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs Thompson attended the UN Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Vienna. There are no new data on abuse.

COSTA RICA

Summary: The estimated levels of narcotics production and trafficking in Costa Rica presented in the March 1987 INCSR remain current for the most part. Cooperation from the GOCR continues to be good and resulted, in July, in the largest seizure of cocaine in the country's history, which also topped all previous annual records for cocaine seized. The GOCR has also set a new annual record in the manual eradication of marijuana. The outlook for 1987 and 1988 remains positive in terms of enforcement efforts and legal initiatives. Public and government support remains high. The cooperation of COCR drug enforcement agencies is very good. End Summary.

The Arias Government continues to be highly supportive of narcotics law enforcement. The government plans to present a new bill to

to the legislature later this year which would both increase penalties for

for narcotics-related crimes and deny bail to traffickers of cocaine. In addition, as a result of a major conference sponsored by DEA/Justice here in March on narcotics laws, a law has been proposed which would enable prosecutors to plea bargain with defendants in return for their cooperation.

On July 2, the Judicial Police seized 500

500 kilograms of cocaine and arrested 11 suspects in the largest cocaine seizure in Costa Rican history. In this operation an incoming light aircraft from Colombia had off-loaded the drugs at a remote air strip when the police moved in.

In June, the Drug Control Department (DCD) of the Public Security Ministry destroyed over one million marijuana plants. This represents the largest eradication operation thus far carried out in Costa

The publicity surrounding the eradication operation should lead to some public awareness gains as well.

Rica.

Page 30Page 31