Authorities in Costa Rica are concerned as presence of Central America gang members “mareros” increases in the country.

On February 20 a native from El Salvador was captured as a suspect of a robbery, he is allegedly a member of a “mara” (gang). From only 3 cases associated with maras in 2016 the number increased to 16 in 2017, according to official data by the Migratory Police.

The members of the gangs have been detained in different parts of the country, some of these men have been confirmed to be part of the Mara 18 from El Salvador, while others are from the mara known as Salvatrucha.

“We have seen an increase in the number of people related to maras. We currently have 4 mara members detained and awaiting the deportation order”, commented Esteban Obando from the Migratory Police.

These suspects are located by the authorities sometimes after their participation in criminal acts, or after receiving the alert from concerned members of the community.

Most of these dangerous men enter the country illegally through specific areas of the northern frontier; others manage to enter the country legally as tourists.

In 2017 close to 1500 citizens from El Salvador requested refuge in Costa Rica as a result of the violence and criminality affecting the Central American country.

Although the number of mara members is still not alarming, the fact that the number has increased raises the concern of the authorities that want to prevent these criminal groups from establishing in Costa Rica.