COSTA RICA

[TORRERO]

HAS ANYONE MADE A TRIP THERE RECENTLY AND ANY EXPERIANCE
DETECTING THE BEACHES IN THIS COUNTRY ?

THERE IS AN OLD THREAD THAT SEEM TO CONTRADICT ITSELF WHERE PEOPLE WENT
HAD A GREAT TIME AND ALL WAS WELL,

AND THEN A GUY NOW SAYS YOU WILL GET ARRESTED AND THROWN IN JAIL FOR
METAL DETECTING THE BEACHES THERE...

THIS SOUNDS MORE LIKE SCARE TACTICS TO ME...
BUT WHO'S TO SAY ?

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[Tom_in_CA]

I haven't "made a trip there recently", but why don't you post the link to the past thread, for reference here? I think I recall the thread you're talking about, and that was awhile ago.

The same type Q&A has come up for a lot of Mexican or Carribean beach resorts. Ie.: "is it legal to detect there?" Invariably, some will say "sure, I take my detector all the time, never had a problem, there are dealers and other md'rs there, and no one cares". Then others will say "metal detecting is illegal there".

Where does the latter information come from? Usually when someone asks a bureaucrat, or travel consulate type person. Why then do they get such dire answers? Because all-too-often, the answer gets couched in terms of shipwreck salvor type laws, antiquities (ie.: raiding pyramaids, etc..) or transporting loot across borders, etc... I mean, it would probably be the same thing for here, if a foreigner were to ask the average govt. bureaucrat, or border lawyer: "Can I metal detect in the United States?" He might also get a "no", because the person he asks is couching it in terms of the Mel Fisher legal hassles, or ARPA federal level answers, or other such nonsense. But we all know you can detect here till you're blue in the face.

I think your best bet is to see if there's any dealers in those countries. The major manufacturers usually have lists of their distributors and dealers. If one is listed for those locations, well then ........ duh .... it can't be illegal then, eh? (lest who are they selling them too? ) This was the odd case of Fisher Co. themselves, answering an inquirer in a 1980s periodical they used to have: The person asked if detecting in Mexico was legal. Fisher answered: "no". In the subsequent issues of this periodical, several readers wrote in to the editor taking exception to this answer. Ie.: with things like "since when?" and "who told you this?" etc... Fisher answered by telling them: "when we fielded the inquiry, we merely went and asked a legal consulate person" (or whatever). What was wierd, is that all the major manufacturers have dealers down there, INCLUDING FISHER! doh!

 

[TORRERO]

I saw that thread and someone said they had been there back in 2004 (when the thread was started)
Now in 2010 someone posted on that thread that they were Costa Rican Miners or something
and how even the hint of something like this could get a fourener thrown in jail for months..
it sounded like a scare tactic, like I'm doing so well here I don't want any US compatition to be coming over here...
It was very scary sounding... So I posted this, sort of to start a new thread to see if anyone had
"Recent" experiance...

I am considering traveling there....

 

[wwace]

I both read and posted in the other post, I believe the poster your referring to was talking about the dangers of detecting areas other than beaches. If you stay in the "tourist area" in daylight you would probably be ok from what I gathered. But with the high crime rate lately people probably don't take many valuables out in public. My father in law lives there and they have problems with juvenile thieves as they can't be prosecuted, they just snatch your stuff and run. After dark don't wander around beaches or anywhere else where you will not hang out in a city like any in the US. I wouldn't try any parks or other areas though. Early AM is best, just recon thoroughly to hit the most packed/safest spots. And don't leave anything valuable in a car anytime, hotel safe is best bet.