Q COSTARICA — Costa Rican associates of Johnny Angulo Fernández, alias “John Cadenas”, in the alleged cocaine shipment to Italy have become the new targets of Italy’s Central Anti-Narcotics Division.
Members of that Italian agency met in Nashville, Tennessee, with representatives of Costa Rica’s Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ), who traveled to the United States to finalize future extradition cases with several countries.
Both delegations participated in the 39th International Drug Control Conference (IDEC XXXIX) in Nashville, where CRHoy.com covered the case. The Italians clarified that, for now, they are only prosecuting Angulo; however, they are keeping open other possibilities arising from the Costa Rican’s mentions in Livorno drug files.
“So far, the only established link is with John Cadenas. However, we are offering them the possibility of collaboration in case they have other ties or need to exchange information with us to link other Costa Ricans. However, for now, only the case against John Cadenas is underway, which we hope will be completed soon,” explained Michael Soto, deputy director of the OIJ, after the meetings with the Italians.
Soto assured that the exchange of information generated interest in identifying “some other links to this individual.” It is also expected that, with the information revealed, new cases of interest to both countries will emerge in the medium term.
“We are offering this possibility of obtaining information, because much of the cocaine that arrives in Italy passes through Costa Rica. We are talking about a partnership in case they have any links, and we are providing them with information so that, if they require it, they can go to Costa Rica and provide details. But for now, we are not talking about names, but rather about the possibility of new cases in the near future,” Soto added.
“John Cadenas” Low-Profile Drug Trafficker
John Cadenas kept a low profile. According to sources close to the case, he was not reported in the media and presented himself only as a businessman with business activities in the Southern Zone.
The 54-year-old man was arrested in July in Costa Rica’s Laurel de Corredores, in the pr Puntarenas, following an extradition request from the Italian government for international drug trafficking.
The Italian justice system is seeking him for two shipments of cocaine hidden in agricultural export products that departed from Moín, Limón, bound for the port of Livorno, in the Tuscany region. One of the shipments, weighing 50 kilos, was seized on June 29, 2015. The second, weighing 98 kilos, was intercepted in December of the same year. Both were destined for Venice, in the Veneto region.
Police sources detail that “John Cadenas” owned a property in Punta Burica, on the border with Panama, which allegedly served as a logistics point for receiving cocaine shipments from Colombia. They then transported the drugs to Limón to reship them to other countries hidden in export cargo.
He also operated businesses in Laurel de Corredores, including vehicle parts and liquor stores. He is listed in the National Registry as a partner in several companies and as a landowner; however, it is suspected that he used front men to avoid alerts due to the growth of his assets.
Most of these properties are reportedly located in the “Osa Triangle,” a remote Osa Peninsula in southwestern Costa Rica, a highly biodiverse region known for Corcovado National Park, lush rainforests, pristine beaches, and abundant wildlife like scarlet macaws and humpback whales. An area highly susceptible to drug trafficking in the South Pacific.
“This is part of the investigation, because most people involved in drug trafficking typically do not register assets in their own names and use front men to launder or conceal criminal activities,” explained Costa Rica’s Attorney General Carlo Díaz.
Michael Soto pointed out that “John Cadenas” was a subject “so established over time that he had little involvement and only gave instructions, because he had been in the business for many years.”
The Organized Crime Section (Seccro) of the OIJ kept him under surveillance and successfully captured him. He is believed to have led his own group in Punta Burica, where he controlled a strategic site for refueling and other logistical operations.
After his arrest, he was transferred to San José to face legal proceedings that could result in his extradition to Italy.
According to authorities, the cocaine shipments were allegedly managed by the Calabrian mafia, the ‘Ndrangheta. In Italy, he is accused of final association with international drug trafficking.
A very iconic individual
“John Cadenas,” is described by the OIJ as “a very iconic individual in the criminal and drug trafficking sector in the country because he has been investigated at various times and so far we are obtaining positive results,” explained the deputy director of the OIJ.
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