Costa Rican officials laundered drug cash through contracts
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) — Prosecutors in Costa Rica accused a group of government water authority officials Tuesday of helping a drug gang launder its proceeds using government public works contracts.
The Judicial Investigation Agency said Tuesday that the gang trafficked cocaine, and then used the drug money to carry out contracts obtained through their contacts at the country’s water and sewer authority.
The(backslash) government checks they then received for the contracts were ploughed into property and vehicles.
The agency said the gang won 17 contracts worth about $1.2 million. The agency reported Tuesday that a total of 26 people, including 14 officials and several gang members, were detained in 37 raids.
