The government plans to give the Dirección de Inteligencia y Seguridad (DIS) the legal weapon to seize property acquired through tax evasion, drug trafficking, money laundering, organize crime and any other illegal activity, though a bill it is introducing in the Legislative Assembly.
The proposal is to give the country’s intelligence service, an arm of the Presidency, the power to investigate the origin of dubious acquisitions and interrogate those involved.
According to Presidenta Laura Chinchilla, the legislation would allow authorities the power to seize title of property, hitting organized crime where it hurts the most, their material possessions.
DIS director, Celso Gamboa, once the law comes into force the intelligence service will have access to complaints made by financial institutions with respect to illicit enrichment and the power to act to bring the involved before the courts.
The bill is expected to be signed by the Presidenta and sent to the Legislature this week and expected to be passed before the end of the year.
