Key facts
- Costa Rica extradited alleged drug traffickers Gilbert Bell Fernandez and Gabriel Lozano to the U.S.
Costa Rica extradited two alleged drug traffickers, Gilbert Bell Fernandez and Gabriel Lozano, to the U.S. to face trial in New York federal court. The U.S. had previously sanctioned Bell for his role in Costa Rica's transformation into a drug transit hub.
The extraditions underscore ongoing international cooperation to combat drug trafficking and highlight Costa Rica's evolving stance on extraditing its own citizens for serious crimes, a shift prompted by rising violence.
Costa Rica has extradited two alleged drug traffickers, Gilbert Bell Fernandez, also known as Macho Coca, and Gabriel Lozano, nicknamed Compadre, to the United States to face charges in federal court in New York. The U.S. had previously imposed sanctions on Bell in 2023, citing his significant role in making Costa Rica a major narcotics transit hub. Bell had been jailed in San Jose since 2024 on charges of stealing state-owned fuel.
Authorities accuse Lozano, a Colombian national who obtained Costa Rican citizenship, of utilizing the country as a crucial transit point for cocaine destined for markets further north. Costa Rican Attorney General Carlo Diaz emphasized the extradition as a result of cooperation with U.S. and international authorities in combating international drug trafficking.
Costa Rica approved the extradition of its citizens for drug trafficking or terrorism charges in 2025, following a surge in violence linked to drug trafficking groups. The first Costa Ricans were extradited under this measure in March, and authorities indicate that approximately 20 Costa Rican suspects and a similar number of foreign nationals are currently undergoing extradition proceedings.