Staying anonymous is essential for any successful drug dealer, especially an internationally wanted one. Luis Manuel Picado Grijalba, 43, a known drug kingpin, has been arrested in Europe after his wife gave away their location with her Instagram posts.
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For years, Grijalba has been using Costa Rica to ship drugs into the US from the Limón area. The Costa Rican Judicial Investigation Department had nothing on the man, but the DEA did. Because of this, they kept a close eye on him and his family.
Grijalba rarely travelled with his family but last year he wanted to spend time with them in Europe. The drug kingpin was arrested after
his wife started posting to her Instagram about the vacation. He had spent $20,000 to fly them over, and her feed was filled with telling locations.Her Instagram has now been deleted, but images that led to the drug dealer being arrested were all over the internet. The DEA spotted her in Paris, beneath the Eifel Tower, and made their move.
Drug Kingpin Grijalba Arrested On New Extradition Laws
In Costa Rica, the government protects its citizens from extradition. So, as long as Grijlaba was on the right side of law enforcement there, he was safe. However, when he landed in Europe, the laws changed. The DEA immediately requested an international warrant.
With a warrant granted, and the vague location of the drug dealer known, he was found, arrested, and held. Because of his wife's online posting, his whereabouts were easily pinpointed. He is currently being held and fighting for extradition.
If he returns to the US and is usefully tried, he will be facing a very long jail sentence.
President Rodrigo Chaves Robles spoke out about how he felt concerning the arrest of Grijalba. "It is outrageous that the Costa Rican police, I mean the Judicial Investigation Agency, the Judiciary, and the Attorney General's Office, with everyone knowing what Shock (Grijalba) does, do not even have an open case against him, while the gringos leave the country and capture him in London. What do the gringos have that the OIJ does not have? Is it decency?"
Despite the Costa Rican awareness of what the drug dealer does from within their country, it was the US that arrested him. There could be many reasons he can get away with it, but that's not for me to speculate.
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