Costa Rica has extradited two alleged drug traffickers to the US to face charges. Gilbert Bell Fernandez, known as Macho Coca, and Gabriel Lozano, nicknamed Compadre, are due to face trial in US federal court in New York.
Extradition Efforts
The extraditions were the result of cooperation with US and international authorities, according to Costa Rica Attorney General Carlo Diaz. Authorities accuse Lozano, a Colombian who obtained Costa Rican citizenship, of using the country as a key transit point for cocaine moving from South American producers to markets farther north.
The US imposed sanctions on Bell in 2023 for his role in transforming Costa Rica into a major narcotics transit hub. Costa Rica approved the extradition of its citizens on drug trafficking or terrorism charges in 2025, with the first extraditions under the measure taking place in March.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
