Despite seizures of phones found in prisons and even the blockage of cell signals, scams are still being run out of prisons in Costa Rica. This is done in an organized way that crosses borders.
It’s been 10 months since cell blocking started as a way to combat the scams but inmates found ways to circumvent each restriction that was put into place.
The Fraud Section of the Judicial Police traced calls and discovered some of the methods used. Satellite phones, wi-fi, and lines from countries like Panama and Nicaragua were used. There are collaborators outside the prisons too.
Other Central American countries notified Costa Rican authorities of scams committed in their nations by people with Costa Rican accents.
7,000 attempts by inmates to connect to a cell signal were blocked so far. Additionally, 803 phones have been confiscated.
The Ministry of Justice is open to collaborating with the Judicial Police to take further steps to stop these crimes run out of Costa Rican prisons by those deprived of liberty.
