Q COSTARICA — The Fuerza Pública (National Police) intercepted and seized 1,600 kilograms of chicken allegedly smuggled from Panama during a roadside checkpoint in the canton of Coto Brus, in the southern zone of Costa Rica.
The shipment, lacking documentation proving the legal origin of the meat or proof of tax payment, was being transported in a truck, where officers found multiple boxes labeled “Panamanian box” and detected violations of sanitary regulations.
In May, the Ministry of Health investigated a foodborne outbreak with a preliminary link to a business in Ciudad Colón de Mora. Of the reported 32 cases, 12 were positive for Salmonella, and one death.
According to a publication by La Nación, the establishment under investigation was a chicken shop. The inspection had detected “inconsistencies” related to cleaning and disinfection, temperature control, and food handling.
While the official investigation was underway, testimonies from people who claimed to have experienced diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach upset after eating at the establishment were published on social media. Several users described symptoms including fever and abdominal pain.