Costa Rican authorities have arrested the country’s most wanted suspected drug trafficker, Alejandro Arias Monge, widely known by the alias “El Diablo,” following a major security operation that left one person dead and eight police officers injured.
The arrest was carried out on Friday morning in Rio Frio, located in the northeastern province of Heredia, according to Costa Rica’s Attorney General, Carlos Diaz.
The United States had offered a $500,000 reward for information leading to Arias Monge’s arrest due to his alleged involvement in international drug trafficking activities.
Speaking to reporters after the operation, Diaz said security forces targeted a gathering of suspected leaders of criminal organisations at a rural property where another alleged gang leader, Roney Rios, was killed during the raid.
Authorities disclosed that the operation involved an intense exchange of gunfire, with approximately 2,500 rounds of ammunition fired during the confrontation.
Eight police officers sustained injuries while carrying out the operation, though officials did not immediately disclose the severity of their wounds.
Following the arrest, the United States Embassy in San Juan congratulated the Costa Rican government for what it described as a successful law enforcement operation.
Arias Monge had been on the run for approximately 10 years, with investigators believing he spent part of that period hiding in neighbouring Nicaragua to evade capture.
Costa Rican authorities have long considered “El Diablo” one of the country’s most dangerous criminal figures due to his alleged role in drug trafficking networks operating across Central America.
His arrest comes as Costa Rica continues to battle a sharp rise in organised crime and drug-related violence.
Once regarded as one of the safest countries in Central America, Costa Rica has experienced a significant increase in drug trafficking activities in recent years, driven largely by international criminal organisations using the country as a transit route for narcotics destined for North America and Europe.
Authorities say investigations into the criminal network linked to Arias Monge remain ongoing.
