Man detained with 112 valuable orchids

Courtesy of the Fuerza Publica.

March 20^th, 2013 (InsideCostaRica.com)  Police seized 112 orchids from a man traveling in a vehicle in Bijagual de Upala, Alajuela.

Allan Obando, director of the Border Police, said the discovery was made during an operation to prevent the illegal harvesting of wild plants and animals.

The incident took place on Sunday afternoon during a road check.  The plants discovered in the vehicle were mostly purple guarias, a species protected by law.

As presumed, the orchids were from the protected forests of the Miravalles Volcano National Park.  As a result, the case was brought to the attention of the Ministry of Environment and Energy (Minae) so that the plants could be replanted in the wild.

Obando said that in the black market, the value of the seized plants is about $3,000.

The driver of the vehicle, of the last name Rojas, was referred to the prosecutor in Upala.