San José, October 7, 2025. – In a historic ruling that tests new Costa Rican legislation for the first time, the Criminal Court of San José on Tuesday granted the extradition request for former magistrate and former Minister of Public Security, Celso Gamboa Sánchez, to the United States, where he is wanted for serious drug trafficking offenses.
However, the ruling by Judge William Serrano introduces a crucial nuance: the handover to U.S. authorities will be deferred.
This decision, which has generated enormous media and national attention, means that Gamboa will not be sent to the United States immediately. First, he must face and conclude all pending criminal proceedings in Costa Rica. As detailed by the court, these cases include an ongoing trial for the alleged use of a false document, a preliminary hearing for alleged influence peddling, and another trial scheduled for January for alleged bribery.
The verdict was announced 107 days after Gamboa’s arrest on June 23, in an operation coordinated between the OIJ and the DEA. The former official, who held some of the highest positions in the Judiciary and the country’s security apparatus, is accused by a Texas grand jury of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine internationally.
Tuesday’s resolution represents a milestone for the Costa Rican judicial system, as it is the first application of the reform to Article 32 of the Political Constitution, approved in May of this year, which allows the extradition of nationals for drug trafficking and terrorism offenses.
What’s Next?
The legal battle is not over. Gamboa’s defense team, led by his sister Natalia Gamboa, confirmed they will appeal the decision. They have a period of three business days to do so. Once the appeal is filed, the case will go to an Appeals Court, which has no specific deadline to issue its ruling, potentially adding months of uncertainty to the process.
Meanwhile, Gamboa will remain in provisional detention at the La Reforma maximum-security facility, pending the resolution of both the extradition appeal and his pending cases in the country.
