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Police
who responded arrested two
suspects and seized more
than 2.3 tons of cocaine
that was inside the
narco-submarine. /
National Coast Guard
Service
courtesy
photo.
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U.S.
Coast Guard helps find a
narco-submarine transporting
more than 2 tons of cocaine
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By the
A.M. Costa Rica staff
On Saturday night, the United
States Coast Guard (USCG) warned
the National Coast Guard Service
about submarine transporting
narcotics that had run aground
on the coast of the Corcovado
National Park* in the
Peninsula in Osa. Police who
responded arrested two suspects
and seized more than 2.3 tons of
cocaine that was inside the
narco-submarine.
A narco-submarine, also called
drug sub and bigfoot submarine,
is a type of custom-made
ocean-going self-propelled
submersible vessel built by drug
traffickers to smuggle drugs.
They are used by Colombian drug
cartel members to export cocaine
from Colombia to Mexico, which
is often transported overland to
the United States.
According to the police report,
the narco-submarine had run
aground on Llorona Beach*
and the three crew members had
fled to the jungle area inside.
"Upon arrival, the agents of the
Drug Control Police, checked the
submarine, founding a total of
2,377 packets of cocaine of one
kilo each," said the police in
its report.
After the submarine was found,
the park rangers reported
finding three men walking
through the brush near to the
beach, "when the officers asked
the men to stop, they started
firing, wounding an officer,"
said police in their report.
Two of the suspects were
arrested. It is not possible to
report their names since they
did not carry identification,
however the police said, "one of
the suspects said he was a
Colombian citizen and the other
said he had been nationalized as
a Chilean."
The police report that the
wounded park ranger was taken to
the Corcovado clinic. “The bad
weather conditions in the area
made the rescue impossible,
either by air or by sea."
The two suspects were taken to
the cells of the Public
Ministry, where they are in the
process of being interviewed by
agents of the Judicial
Investigation Organization. They
must remain in those cells until
a judge orders the pre-trial
measures against them.
Police officers continue to
search for the third suspect.
Related to the U.S. Coast
Guard support, as A.M. Costa
Rica reported on the first
days of May, Admiral Karl
Schultz, Commander of the
Coast Guard of the United
States, visited the country to
review the results of the
alliance and the collaboration
between the United States and
Costa Rica in the fight
against transnational crime.
“We must enable willing and
capable partners in the fight
against transnational
organized crime. I was honored
to visit our strongest ally in
Central America, Costa Rica,”
said Admiral Karl Schultz.
According to Admiral Schultz,
Costa Rica is an important
partner in the fight against
transnational organized crime
and the country directly
supports the U.S. collective
efforts to combat cartels and
gangs who push poison and
proliferate violence across
the Western Hemisphere.
Statistics mentioned by
Admiral Schultz, the Costa
Rica Aerial Surveillance
Service (SVA) and Coast Guard
seized over 33 tons of
U.S.-bound cocaine, one of the
highest maritime drug seizures
in the region.
In April 2018, U.S. Department
of Defense (DoD) and U.S.
Department of State: Bureau of
International Narcotics &
Law Enforcement (INL)
transferred three former U.S.
Coast Guard 110-foot
Island-class patrol boats to
Costa Rica, significantly
expanding their maritime
interdiction capacity.
“We continue to work with U.S.
Southern Command, State INL,
and Costa Rica to further
develop their maintenance and
logistics capabilities to
optimally operate and maintain
their patrol fleet.
Impressively, SNG continues to
operate a former USCG 82-foot
Point-class patrol boat
originally commissioned in
1962”, said Admiral Schultz.
“With the strong support of
Ambassador Sharon Day &
her terrific team at U.S.
Embassy, the State Department,
U.S. Southern Command, and the
U.S. Coast Guard, Costa Rica’s
Security Minister Michael
Soto, and the SNG are growing
their capacity to advance
security & prosperity
across the region.”
Related to the most recent
donation by the U.S., as AM
Costa Rica reported, in April,
the Bureau for Antinarcotics
and Law Enforcement Affairs
(INL) donated the two 38’
interceptors, equipped with
state of the art technology to
the Costa Rican National Coast
Guard Service. The two vessels
are valued at USD 750,000
each. With this donation, the
Costa Rican National Coast
Guard Service will have an
increased capacity to survey
Costa Rica’s territorial
waters.
“Together, we strengthen
regional multilateral efforts
to defeat dangerous criminal
organizations and serve as a
model for international
partnership throughout the
Western Hemisphere. Through
continued robust partnership
and collaboration, we are
stronger together!,” said
Admiral Schultz.
Another important donation by
U. S. Government but in this
case to the Air Surveillance
Service, were four UH-1rst (or
UH-ONE) helicopters.
The helicopters are, for a
period of two years, in the
charge of U.S. government,
with the maintenance, spare
parts purchase, and training
of pilots and technicians in
aeronautical maintenance of
the Direction of the Air
Surveillance Service of the
Ministry of Public Security.
In 2021 the helicopters will
become the property of the
government of Costa Rica.
The total value of this
project is $48 million dollars
and includes the four
helicopters, their
reconditioning, maintenance,
spare parts and training for
members of the Air
Surveillance Service.
A UH-1st has a capacity for 13
people (three crew, 10
passengers), two engines,
reaches a maximum speed of 205
kilometers per hour, have a
load capacity of 7,306 pounds,
with a coverage range of 182
nautical miles.
The Bell UH-1st (nicknamed the
"Huey") is the first type of
helicopter developed by Bell
Helicopter Company produced
for the United States
military, and more than 16,000
have been built since 1960.
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Have you ever heard of a
narco-submarine? We
would like to know your
thoughts on this
story. Send your
comments to: news@amcostarica.com
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