Police in Costa Rica have arrested alleged gang members and are facing charges of manufacturing and trafficking the synthetic drug fentanyl, authorities announced Tuesday.

These are the first arrests announced in the Central American country for trafficking the powerful opioid, which is responsible for the “epidemic” of overdose deaths in the US.

Four suspects, two Costa Ricans and two Colombians, were arrested and 1,100 fentanyl tablets were seized as part of a wide-ranging operation, which was carried out with the support of the US Federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and included raids in three cities in the central part of the country, the minister explained. Security Mario Zamora during a press conference.

The operation also led to the discovery of a facility that authorities described as a fentanyl production lab.

The arrests and the discovery of the lab “cause alarm” because they “confirm the presence of fentanyl” in Costa Rica, Mr. Zamora said. He added that this substance was imported by international gangs, avoiding going into more details.

As of October, Costa Rican authorities had conducted about ten investigations related to fentanyl trafficking since last year, according to government data.

Authorities are concerned that despite the arrests, there is a threat of a large increase in both consumption and trafficking of this synthetic opioid, which is characterized as 50 times stronger than heroin. Earlier this month, it was announced in Honduras that almost half a ton (454 kg) of fentanyl tablets had been seized. It was also the first seizure of a quantity of this substance ever announced in this country.

Violent crime in Costa Rica is on the rise this year — the country is expected to record a tragic homicide record. Their rise is mainly attributed to the conflicts between rival gangs for the control of drug trafficking routes.

The fentanyl-trafficking arrests were announced days after a poll showed 70 percent of Costa Ricans disapprove of President Rodrigo Chavez’s anti-crime performance.

In the US, nearly three-quarters of the estimated 107,000 drug overdose deaths in 2021 were attributed to an opioid, according to official data, especially as the highly lethal fentanyl is mixed with other substances.