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Some lawmakers balk at letting U.S. ship deliver drug proofs
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff (Wed 22 Aug 12)

"There is another dispute in the legislature over the proposed arrival of a U.S. ship carrying drugs to be used here as evidence.

The “USS Carr” is carrying 4,134 pounds of marijuana that is to be used as evidence against two Costa Ricans and a Nicaraguan who were captured as sea. Foreign military vessels need legislative permission to land in Costa Rica. Even U.S. Coast Guard boats like the “Carr.”

The Partido Liberación Nacional said that negative votes by the minority Partido Acción Ciudadana prevented consideration of the measure Tuesday. The security ministry said that there was about 3,000 kilograms of high potency marijuana that was thrown into the sea during a chase at sea. The ministry said that if the evidence is not produced quickly, the men will go free.

Certain lawmakers routinely oppose visits by U.S. flagged military vessels, even though some have come to Costa Rica for shore leave and the purchase of supplies and fuel."

(Why don't they just transfer it from the US boat to a Tico boat while video-taped? Must be a "chain of custody" legal issue, but the video tape would clear that up. )

U.S. boat leaves area without delivering marijuana evidence

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff 23 August Thursday

The U.S. Embassy said Wednesday that the “USS Carr” had been waiting offshore for more than a week for legislative permission to deliver marijuana for a criminal proceeding. Now the U.S. Navy vessel has left the area.

The “Carr” is a Navy boat but it is operating as a platform for the U.S. Coast Guard, which confiscated 81 bundles of marijuana that fleeing smugglers had tossed in the water.

The smugglers were spotted by helicopter some 100 miles northeast of Limón, and eventually three persons were detained by Costa Rican patrol boat crews.

The embassy release noted that the “Carr” was among those vessels that were part of a request for docking made in December. A request specifically for the “Carr” was made Aug. 14 so it could deliver the evidence, the release said.

Lawmakers from the Partido Liberación Nacional have blamed the Partido Acción Ciudadana for preventing the legislature from acting on the request.

Without the marijuana, security officials fear the three men may go free. (That seems to be a foregone conclusion now)

Anne S. Andrew, the U.S. ambassador here, said that the recent interdiction underlines that it is imperative that the Asamblea Legislativa approve the docking of Navy boats that participate in missions at sea. The docking of U.S. boats has been a controversial topic among lawmakers.

This appears a cock-up from beginning to end. CR has a strong, frequently-demonstrated bias against foreign military being on their soil whatever the reason (humanitarian, shore leave, whatever); it seems the Ambasadress and the DOD were pushing this matter to be decided in CR...and lost. Why the CG didn't just track this boat into truly international waters via satellite or drone, and thus negate sovereignty issues, is beyond me. Or maybe civilian helicopter or boat this stuff to the dock (possible chain-of-custody issue?). 2 questions: What am I not getting? And can I stand down-wind when it's burnt?

_________________
"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED