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INSIDECOSTARICA.COM
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COSTA RICA NEWS
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Sunday 17 October 2010 |
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50
Traffic
Cops
Detained
This
Year For
Corruption
We have
all been
or know
someone
who has
been the
victim
of
corrupt
traffic
cops.
But that
soon
could be
a thing
of the
past in
Costa
Rica, as
transit
officials
continue
their
crack
down of
those
officials
who
stick
their
hands in
the
pockets
of
drivers.
So far
this
year the
crack
down has
led to
the
arrest
of 50
officials
of he
Policía
de
Tránsito,
the
latest
being
last
Thursday
in
Siquirres,
an
undercover
Organismo
de
Investigación
Judicial
(OIJ
agent
using
marked
money
paid off
a
¢20.000
colones
bride.
According
to Cesar
Quiros,
director
of the
traffic
police,
many of
the
crooked
cops are
with 10
and 15
years
service
and
working
the
areas of
San
José,
Cartago,
Heredia,
Limón
and
Guanacaste.
Quiros
added
that the
majority
fell
into the
hands of
undercover
OIJ
agents
who were
asked
for "mordidas"
(brides)
of
¢10.000
and
¢20.000,
up to
ten
times
the
usual
bribe
before
the high
fines
that
went
into
effect
on March
1, 2010.
The
officials
caught
asked
drivers
to dig
into
their
wallets
in
exchange
for not
writing
up a
traffic
ticket.
In most
cases,
the
officials
operated
alone
and in
remote
areas
and at
night,
while
several
were
part of
a
network
of
crooked
traffic
cops
sharing
the
take.
"It is a
shame
because
we now
have
people
with
experience
outside
the
institution,
agents
that
could
lead the
newer
but
never
mind. We
will
continue
this
line of
action
in the
fight
against
corruption",
said
Quios.
Last
August,
seven
traffic
cops
were
taken
into
custody
in
Cartago
in "one
stroke"
for
irregularities
at a
weigh
station
in that
province.
"The
people
can rest
assured
that we
will act
ruthlessly
and with
a heavy
hand,"
director
Quiros
stressed.
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