We launched our work in Costa Rica in January 2012. Plans include the support the first 2 government sanctioned houses for victims of human trafficking which will be opening soon along with outreach to the many women and children engaged in sex tourism here.

12/2012 UPDATE....in a joint operation with one of the US federal agencies we helped put a pedophile who was involved in prostituting children to other sex tourists in jail..this operation and the intel that is coming from it will lead to the rescue of more than 100 children and the dismantling of several groups who exploit children!

10/11/12 UPDATE God willing we will soon see this new law put to a test....pray the kids we have been waiting on for so long may be finally rescued!

The Costa Rican government announced the approval by Congress of a law that increases prison sentences for trafficking and related activities, and it also creates a fund to finance the fight against trafficking crimes such as sexual tourism, and human trafficking.

The “Law against trafficking and related activities” was ratified unanimously in Congress on Monday in the second and final debate, and will take effect once the president signs the country, Laura Chinchilla.

The Minister of the Presidency, Carlos Ricardo Benavides, said today in a press conference that this law “Costa Rica sets a good example and get to set advanced rules” to combat this scourge.

The law establishes a fee of one dollar in the departure tax payable at the airports in the country, which will create a fund to finance the prevention, investigation and prosecution of human trafficking and the care and social integration of the victims.

In Costa Rica and human trafficking was punishable by up to 15 years in prison, but the new law extends the scope of these punishments and increases some with reforms to the Criminal Code.

For example, the penalty for promoting, facilitating or promoting the sale of a minor will be between 8 to 16 years in prison and 4-8 years for a person transporting undocumented persons with false documents or evading immigration controls.

The owner of an establishment that facilitates trafficking or smuggling of immigrants will receive a sentence of 3-5 years in prison, while for sexual tourism promoters, the penalty will be 4 to 8 years and for organ traffickers and buyers, from 8 to 16 years.