QCOSTARICA – The home of Alejandro Jiménez González, alias Palidejo, in the Altos de Montenegro in Canos de Alajuela, is for sale and so far the government has not had any takers for the seized home, forcing it to once again reduce the price to attract potential buyers.
The Instituto Costarricense sobre Drogas (ICD), in 2011, confiscated the luxurious six bedroom, six bathroom home, that features a ‘jacuzzi’, pool, wine cellar and custom finishings. Click here for complete details of the property
After completing the legal process, the ICD put up the property for sale at ¢465 million colones (US$877.000 dollars at today’s exchange rate), but nobody has been interested in buying it.
Guillermo Araya Camacho, director of the ICD, explained that starting next month, the property will be offered at ¢313 million colones after an assessmenet by the Ministerio de Hacienda (Ministry of Finance).
But the house still belongs to Jimenez. The ICD, based on Article 84bis of the Ley sobre Estupefacientes, Sustancias Psicotrópicas y Drogas de Uso No Autorizado, Actividades Conexas, Legitimación de Capitales y Financiamiento al Terrorismo, N.° 8.204 (Law on Narcotics, Psychotropic Substances and Drug Unauthorized Use, Related Activities, Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing), has the authority to dispose of the seized goods.
In the event a judge determines that the property should be returned to the original owner, the ICD will then hand over the money.
Araya is optimistic that with the reduced price the well maintained property, located within a gated community, will now sell.
“Costa Ricans have realized that these assets may be acquired without any problem (…), without threats or pressure at the time of purchase,” added the official.
Araya said the ICD has some 300 people registered for the purchase of property confiscated for crimes such as drug trafficking or money laundering.
Source: Nacion.com, ICD
Background
Costa Rican Alejandro Jimenez, who was arrested in March 2012 in Colombia, is being held in Guatemala, where he was transferred because there he faces prosecution on suspicion of planning the attack that killed the Argentine singer, Facundo Cabral, in July 2011.
Jimenez also has a criminal case pending in Costa Rica, on suspicion of money laundering. It is precisely for that the Alajuela property was confiscated.
More photos and specs available at http://www.icd.go.cr/portalicd/index.php/procesos-ura/ventas-ura
