by Rod Hughes
The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service has canceled the entry visas into the United States of 22 Costa Rican immigration officials accused of smuggling official stamps into the U.S.
Once there, the U.S. accusation says, they look up Costa Ricans who have overstayed their U.S. visas and stamp false entry and exit data on their Costa Rican passports for a fee of $100-150. This makes it seem to investigating U.S. immigration officials that the entry visas are current when the Tico may be long overdue for a renewal.
Local Immigration director, Mario Zamora told the daily La Nación that he also received information that the scam was at work and applauded the U.S. move. He said the officials in question would be transferred to other duties while an internal investigation confirms the charge.
One unnamed immigration official told the daily La Nación, “I can’t deny that there are officials at (Juan Santamaría International) airport who do business selling stamped documents. There are even Ticos who live illegally in the United States who come to Costa Rica especially to seek out some airport officials to make it seem as if they’ve entered and left Ciosta Rica legally.”
Zamora, wrestling with a veritable octopus of corruption and inefficiency in his department, lauded the U.S. Embassy’s aid in identifying the offending officials. He also stated flatly to La Nacion that, if his own investigation confirms the charges, the officials face loss of their jobs and possible criminal prosecution. He voluntarily referred to a corruption case a few weeks ago at the northern border with Nicaragua where three immigration agents were charging Nicaraguan immigrants for letting them through the main InterAmerican Highway post at Peñas Blancas.