A woman identified by the authorities as Mama Africa is the main suspect in the transfer of 249 foreigners through national territory. The woman named López Martínez is one of the 36 people who were arrested on Tuesday morning in the North Zone and South Zone of the country.
The victims are African, Asian and Cuban.
According to the director of the Professional Migration Police, Stephen Madden, the network earned between $7,000 and $20,000 per case and operated with two methods: an extracontinental gang and another through the Juan Santamaría airport where they managed to identify four people of Indian nationality.
Mama Africa, one of the leaders, also had a romantic relationship with an African person and from there began to command the organization. She is a 48-year-old Nicaraguan who had requested refuge in the country, but was rejected. Mama Africa apparently works in partnership with two more women who were in the South Zone.
Security Minister Michael Soto explained that various coordination with Panama was made and 10 people were arrested there, including an official from the Ministry of Health.
The Migration authorities explained that these people were to arrive in the United States and in Costa Rica they were hidden in safe houses.
Prosecutor General, Emilia Navas , described the investigation as “successful” and said that the gang had been tracked for more than 12 months.