(Photo: Walter Espinoza, Director of OIJ, Illustration Purposes Only)

Soccer player Alexander Rodriguez Araya, who used to be part of the Grecia soccer team where he played as goalkeeper up until about four months ago, was detained today along with his brother and other 10 people all linked to a drug trafficking ring that apparently was part of the gang that used to be headed by “El Gringo”, criminal who turned up dead back in December.

The information was confirmed by Walter Espinoza, director of the Judiciary Investigative Police (OIJ), the authorities carried out 14 searches at 5 a.m. this Thursday in the areas of San Carlos, Grecia, Palmares, Atenas and Sarchi in the province of Alajuela.

According to the OIJ, Rodriguez, 27-years-of-age, and his group distributed drugs, marijuana, cocaine and crack in these areas which also had caused an increase in the number of crimes in these communities, Rodriguez took the leadership of the criminal group at the end of last year after the previous leader was killed in San Jose and with the blessing of “El Gringo”.

On the other hand, soccer player Roman Arrieta who was part of the San Carlos soccer team, was also arrested in his home in San Carlos as part of a separate investigation which began back in April last year, when the Costa Rican police located a ton of cocaine in the area of San Ramon, two people were arrested while other two were able to get away; the evidence gathered there pointed to the involvement of Arrieta who was apparently in charge of the surveillance and transportation of the merchandise.

During the operation today the police agents seized 12 million colones (approx. $21,143.00 USD) in a house in Atenas along with firearms, accounting books, crack, cocaine and marijuana.

Roman Arrieta was holding 4 million colones when he was arrested.