Costa Rica tightens smuggling law to close loopholes, protect compliant firms

Costa Rica is advancing legislation to make anti-smuggling statutes more precise, aiming to eliminate legal gaps exploited by smugglers while shielding compliant companies from penalties for minor administrative errors. The move signals a crackdown on illicit trade, though the specific provisions and enforcement timeline remain unclear. This matters as it could affect cross-border trade flows and corporate compliance costs in the region.