The boat was found destroyed, as were the engines. In addition, 1,076 packages of drugs were found, 958 of them with marijuana and 118 with cocaine. / Border Police courtesy photo
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Police find ship stranded with 1,076 drug packages
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The Air Surveillance Police reported that aerial surveillance spotted a stranded boat surrounded by some suspicious packages on Thursday, June 6. The boat was in a sector of La Leona Beach* in Corcovado National Park.
According to the police report, the pilots observed several packages near the boat, and alerted the Border Police, whose personnel located several packages with drugs.
"For more than 48 hours, the officers worked in the collection of packages thrown on the beach and near the rocks, which were washed away by the waves," the police report said.
The boat was found destroyed, as were the engines. In addition, 1,076 packages of drugs were found, 958 of them with marijuana and 118 with cocaine.
The Air Surveillance Police had to use the helicopter to carry out the extraction of the drugs, work that was hampered by bad weather conditions and lack of space to land.
In addition, officers detained two men, foreigners, apparently entering the country illegality. They were near the area where the drugs were found. However, the police could not link the two men with the cargo, so they were taken to the immigration offices where they will be investigated to determine their legal status.
The agents of the Judicial Investigation Organization will continue with the investigation of the case, to determine the origin of the boat and try to locate and capture the crew.
Related to the most recent
drug seizure, as A.M. Costa Rica reported on June 4, following an alert issued by
U.S. Coastguard, the National
Coast Guard Service intercepted
a boat maned by two Colombian
men surnamed Rentería-Valencia,
32 years old, , and Valencia -
Murcia, 29 years old.
The boat
was 180 kilometers off the coast
of Quepos*,
Puntarenas and was carrying 400
kilos of marijuana.
Police report that officers
intercepted the boat and found 4
bags containing 400 one kilo
packs of marijuana.
The suspects sailed "in a boat
named Lisa, 30 feet long, gray
with blue color and a 115 HP
engine," said the Coast Guard
Service in its report.
In addition to the arrest of the
suspects, the police seized the
drug, plus 350,000 Colombian
pesos (about $104), three large
containers with fuel residue,
GPS navigation equipment, a cell
phone, and a satellite phone.
The Quepos Prosecutor's Office
confirmed that the Judge of the
Public Ministry has ordered six
months of pre-trial prison
against these two men who are
suspected of international drug
trafficking.
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What should the government do to control the boats navigating illegally along the coasts? We would
like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your
comments to: news@amcostarica.com
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