Costa Rica News – The law now requires that specialized offices be put into operation by October to deal with organized crime.
The Court asks for another year, however, because of needing a budget, an adequate building and staff training.
Once in operation, these courts will hear cases related to drug trafficking organizations, groups dedicated to human trafficking, pornography and gangs of bank robbers. It will also hear cases of those groups that come from abroad to commit a crime.
The plan includes specialization of criminal judges, prosecutors, public defenders and special courts and courts of appeals. This special jurisdiction will be used when dealing with a group of three or more people in a group that has a division of tasks.
The OIJ attributes over 40% of last year’s homicides to organized crime. In 2017, there were 603 murders and many of them were committed with cruelty.
