{"id":517462,"date":"2026-07-24T11:41:52","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T15:41:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.net\/en\/uncategorized\/alias-diablo-one-of-the-criminals-most-wanted-by-the-dea-is-captured-in-costa-rica\/"},"modified":"2026-07-24T11:41:52","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T15:41:52","slug":"alias-diablo-one-of-the-criminals-most-wanted-by-the-dea-is-captured-in-costa-rica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/uncategorized\/alias-diablo-one-of-the-criminals-most-wanted-by-the-dea-is-captured-in-costa-rica\/","title":{"rendered":"Alias \u201cDiablo\u201d, one of the criminals most wanted by the DEA, is captured in Costa Rica"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Judicial Investigation Department (OIJ)<\/strong> of Costa Rica<\/strong> confirmed the arrest of Alejandro<\/a><\/strong> Arias Monge<\/strong>, known by the alias \u201cDiablo,\u201d during an operation carried out on the morning of this Friday, July 24. The capture, led by the Office Against Organized Crime (OECDO)<\/strong>, was carried out after several years of investigations and involved the participation of OIJ tactical units. Five agents were injured during the procedure, reflecting the high level of risk associated with the arrest of this individual, considered one of the most dangerous criminals in the country.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alias \u201cDiablo\u201d was wanted for multiple violent crimes and his criminal record is unprecedented in Costa Rica, according to data from CR Hoy. The United States<\/strong> Department of Justice had offered a $500,000 reward for information leading to his capture or prosecution, in coordination with the Attorney General’s Office, the OIJ, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The director of the Judicial Investigation Agency<\/strong>, Michael Soto<\/strong>, confirmed the arrest of Alejandro Arias Monge<\/strong>, known as el Diablo<\/strong>, during a police operation carried out in the San Bernardino de Sarapiqu\u00ed<\/strong> sector. The action, coordinated in conjunction with the Public Prosecutor’s Office<\/strong> and the Judiciary<\/strong>, also allowed for the capture of two subjects identified as alias Tang<\/strong>, from the Bat\u00e1n sector, and Coco Gu\u00e1simo<\/strong>, with the surnames R\u00edos Oconitrillo. The latter died following an exchange of gunfire with the agents.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Michael Soto, director of the Judicial Investigation Department (OIJ), provides details on the operation that took place this July 24, 2026, in the San Bernardino de Sarapiqu\u00ed sector for the arrest of Alejandro Arias Monge, alias “Diablo,” who is credited with a large number of crimes in Costa Rica.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We recommend reading: More than 5,000 migrants return through Panama after their attempt to reach the United States is thwarted<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As reported by Soto<\/strong> himself, the operation began at five in the morning and lasted for approximately one hour<\/strong>. Tactical units from the OIJ<\/strong>, supported by the Surveillance Unit and the Organized Crime Office, entered the target area, where a high-intensity armed confrontation took place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was a quite complex operation, at five in the morning, when our SER tactical group, together with the support of the Surveillance and Tracking Unit and the Organized Crime Office, entered this sector and a quite intense exchange of gunfire took place,\u201d the official detailed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>During the confrontation, five OIJ<\/strong> officers were injured, four of them in stable condition and one in critical condition, according to official reports. “We are coordinating the necessary arrangements to transfer him as soon as possible to a hospital in the capital,” stated Soto<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the operation, the authorities found various firearms and vests with police insignia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities seized at the scene at least five high-caliber war rifles, including an FAL and an AK-47, as well as three pistols and drone surveillance technology. According to what was reported by the OIJ<\/strong>, the drones were used to monitor the surroundings and hinder police action.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Soto<\/strong> explained, the importance of this operation lies in the profile of those captured. \u201cAlias Tang has generated a large number of homicides and we have already exposed him at some point,\u201d stated Soto. Regarding Arias Monge<\/strong>, he stressed that \u201che is an individual who has generated a great deal of violence and problems for the country.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The director of the OIJ<\/strong> warned that the procedure demonstrates the institution’s and the Judiciary’s<\/strong> commitment to national security, despite recent budget cuts. \u201cThis undoubtedly shows that we in the Judiciary are committed to the country’s security, providing such an important result,\u201d stated Soto<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The capture of the alias “Diablo” was possible thanks to an operation that began at five in the morning this Friday, July 24th. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Organized Crime Prosecutor’s Office<\/strong> and special units of the OIJ<\/strong> participated in the coordination of the operation. \u201cAlthough our colleagues were unfortunately injured, today we demonstrate that we are definitely working for the country,\u201d added a spokesperson for the Prosecutor’s Office<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The OIJ<\/strong> announced that more details regarding the results and implications of this police action will be provided in the coming hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u201cDiablo\u201d alias profile is characterized by the extreme use of violence, rapid territorial expansion, and a remarkable ability to evade authorities.<\/strong> According to official reports and judicial sources, he is attributed with up to 100 deaths, in addition to direct threats against police officials, including audio recordings in which he offered rewards for murdering officers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The authorities are currently collecting all the evidence found during this morning’s operation for the capture of alias “Diablo”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arias Monge<\/strong> had accumulated at least five criminal cases and had been a fugitive since 2016, the year he was declared a fugitive from justice for failing to appear at a homicide trial. The OIJ<\/strong> points out that, unlike other local organizations that maintain a low profile in international drug trafficking, \u201cDiablo\u201d developed a decentralized network that combines drug dealing with violent alliances. His proximity to Nicaragua<\/strong> allowed him to move through rural and urban areas, making his location and capture difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities carried out operations against the gang of alias “Diablo” this week<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This week, the OIJ dismantled a gang linked to the alias \u201cDiablo,\u201d responsible for recruiting women to smuggle drugs into Costa Rican prisons. Investigations revealed that the group recruited women in vulnerable situations, paying them sums close to 300,000 colones <\/strong>(USD 659.95) for each successful drug delivery, which they concealed in their genitals.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The value of the drugs inside the prisons could reach five million colones (USD 10,999.16) per shipment. In the operation, named \u201cCase Dalila,\u201d 34 suspects were arrested, including the head of the Penitentiary Police<\/strong> at the La Leticia<\/strong> center and key members of the organization. The structure also carried out contract killings and participated in the smuggling of cigarettes and cell phones into penitentiary centers, as confirmed by the interim director of the OIJ, Michael Soto<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alejandro Arias Monge, alias \u201cDiablo\u201d, is listed as one of the most wanted criminals by the DEA for crimes of homicide and international drug trafficking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The operation, which included 37 raids on homes and five penitentiaries, was supported by 150 Penitentiary Police officers and resulted in the seizure of firearms and drugs ready for distribution. Authorities have linked the gang to at least three homicides in the Siquirres<\/strong> area and are continuing investigations to determine the full extent of their illicit activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The arrest of alias \u201cDiablo\u201d represents a significant blow against organized crime in Costa Rica and evidences the international cooperation between the Costa Rican justice system, the United States Department of Justice, and the DEA to combat drug trafficking and associated violence.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Judicial Investigation Department (OIJ) of Costa Rica confirmed the arrest of Alejandro Arias Monge, known by the alias \u201cDiablo,\u201d during an operation carried out on the morning of this Friday, July 24. The capture, led by the Office Against Organized Crime (OECDO), was carried out after several years of investigations and involved the participation […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":133556,"featured_media":517463,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-517462","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/phj1q1-2aCa","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/6R4DU6WEVFHOTLK35G6VXIVHHE.avif","dum_api":{"author_name":"Yerandi Santana","author_image":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/cropped-WhatsApp-Image-2026-02-13-at-5.35.07-PM-96x96.jpeg","categories_name":["Uncategorized"],"featured_media_url":"https:\/\/cdn.deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/6R4DU6WEVFHOTLK35G6VXIVHHE.avif"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/517462","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/133556"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=517462"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/517462\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/517463"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=517462"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=517462"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=517462"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}