**Costa Rican Ex-Security Minister Extradited to US for Drug Trafficking** Former Costa Rican security minister Celso Gamboa, 49, was extradited to the United States on Friday to face drug trafficking charges, authorities in the Central American nation announced. The transfer marked the first time Costa Ricans have been extradited since 2025 constitutional reforms allowing for the extradition of nationals. Gamboa, a high-ranking official with a history of top jobs, including deputy attorney general and Supreme Court justice, was handed over to US anti-drug agents along with his alleged partner, Edwin Lopez Vega, alias “Pecho de Rata” (Rat's Chest). The extradition took place during a massive security operation at Juan Santamaria International Airport, which serves the capital, San Jose. Gamboa, who served as security minister during the 2014-2018 presidency of Luis Guillermo Solis, is the highest-ranking former Costa Rican official accused of drug trafficking. He departed with convicted drug trafficker Vega on a plane escorted by US Drug Enforcement Administration agents bound for Texas. Gamboa, wearing a red shirt and in handcuffs, attempted to prevent his extradition with last-minute legal appeals, but the efforts were rejected. According to the US Attorney's Office, Gamboa allegedly helped "other international drug traffickers manufacture, distribute, and transport significant quantities of cocaine, much of which was trafficked through Costa Rica into the United States." Gamboa, sanctioned by the US Treasury, denies allegations that he and Vega laundered their drug trafficking profits through a second-division soccer team. In a recent interview with Costa Rican TV broadcaster Teletica, Gamboa said he would speak with US authorities about people who "are currently in the executive branch" and should be imprisoned. "There are people here who should be in jail...with me," he stated, without naming names or mentioning potential crimes. "Not a single gram of cocaine was seized. There wasn't a single dollar that wasn't justified," he added. Gamboa's extradition comes as Costa Rica has seen a significant shift in its status as a drug transit point. In recent years, the country has become a logistical hub for drug trafficking, and its homicide rate has reached a peak of 17.2 per 100,000 inhabitants during the current administration.