Costa Rica captures top fugitive "Diablo," wanted by U.S., officials say

Costa Rica has apprehended its most-wanted fugitive, Alejandro Arias-Monge, known by the alias "Diablo," who was sought by the United States for alleged drug trafficking. The capture occurred Friday during an intense, hourlong confrontation that left six Costa Rican federal agents injured. Two other individuals were arrested, and high-powered firearms were confiscated at the scene.

One of the injured federal agents remains in serious condition, according to officials. The Judicial Investigation Organization of Costa Rica hailed the operation on social media, stating it exemplifies the "intense work... to eradicate crime in the country."

The U.S. State Department had placed a $500,000 bounty on Arias-Monge last year, identifying him as the leader of a violent transnational criminal organization responsible for smuggling drugs into the United States. The Drug Enforcement Administration reported that his organization operated across all of Costa Rica's provinces, moving narcotics from Colombia through Honduras and Guatemala to Mexico, with the U.S. as the final destination.

Arias-Monge has multiple outstanding arrest warrants in Costa Rica. The DEA indicated that he and his syndicate allegedly used social media to post violent photos and videos of murders to intimidate the local population. Local media reports suggest Arias-Monge has been a fugitive since 2016 and is believed to be responsible for up to 100 deaths.

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This operation is an example of the intense work carried out by the Judicial Power to eradicate crime in the country.