Officers from Fuerza Publica, the national police force of Costa Rica, detained 17 undocumented immigrants who were trying to cross the border into Nicaragua. The incident occurred in the canton of La Cruz, province of Guanacaste, specifically in the midst of the teak forest near the Peñas Blancas border crossing point, which is often used by perpetual tourists on visa runs.

According to official press CP-0702-2015 from Fuerza Publica, officers on a night patrol noticed human movement near the delimitation zone and quietly “keyed the mic” to request for support. Concealed by darkness and using the thick vegetation for cover, the officers intercepted the immigrants, who were traveling on foot.

The 17 men appear to be from the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, although none of them was able to produce passports or any other documentation to this effect. The immigrants, who were startled and hungry, were just meters away from crossing over to Nicaragua. The officers transported the Asian men to the operations center in Peñas Blancas, where the immigrants enjoyed warm meals and even got seconds.

With limited translation support provided over the radio, the officers deducted that the Bangladeshi detainees may have been involved in a border crossing scheme orchestrated by a coyote who may be in possession of their passports. It is important to note that Fuerza Publica officers assigned to Golfito in the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica recently intercepted an irregular taxi driver, colloquially known as “piratas,” who was transporting eight citizens from the Kingdom of Nepal and one from Bangladesh. Those Asian immigrants did not have a record of legally entering Costa Rica, and they were also suspected of being managed by clumsy coyotes.

The number of undocumented immigrants from Bangladesh intercepted this year by Fuerza Publica is now 18. Now that border law enforcement has been augmented with a National Border Police service, officers in Guanacaste are detecting more cases of irregular immigration. In most situations, the final destination of the immigrants is the United States; notwithstanding, many of those apprehended explain that they want to stay in Costa Rica instead.