  During a routine sea patrol over the weekend, the U.S. officers intercepted a Costa Rican boat registered with the name "Barracuda X." - U.S. Coast Guard and Ministry of Security photos - |
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 Published Wednesday, October 7, 2020 U.S.
Coast Guard detained a crew
suspected of drug trafficking By the A.M. Costa Rica staff U.S. Coast Guard officers delivered to Costa Rican authorities the drugs, boat and crew suspected of transporting 1,300-plus kilos of drugs. According to the police report, during a routine sea patrol over the weekend, the U.S. officers intercepted a Costa Rican boat registered with the name "Barracuda X." On closer inspection, officers found that the ship was carrying 1,220 kilograms of marijuana and 149 packages of cocaine. The crew made up of two Nicaraguan men surnamed Willis, 33, Talavera-García, 26, and one Costa Rican surnamed Ferguson-Madison, 30, were arrested. The U.S. officials seized the boat and drugs, transporting them to Golfito Port, in Puntarenas Province, where Costa Rican authorities took over the suspects and the rest of the evidence. Officials from the Drug Control Police, after an in-depth investigation determined that the shipment was 1,220 kilograms of marijuana in 320 packages of one kilo plus 1,800 packages weighing 500 gram each. In addition, they found 149 packages of cocaine weighing one kilogram each. The drug and ship were seized for proof of evidence of the case against the suspects. The three men were taken to the cells of the Public Ministry where they were interrogated by the judicial agents. They must wait until a judge orders the pre-trial measures against them for suspected drug trafficking. A similar drug trafficking operation with the support of the U.S. Coast Guard happened in September when the Costa Rican Coast Guard reported that with the help of the U.S. Coast Guard plane, it was possible to arrest three Nicaraguan men suspected of trafficking more than 1.5 tons of marijuana.  According to the police report, the Coast Guard received the alert from the U.S. Coast Guard, about a boat detected 70 nautical miles off Cabo Matapalo in the Golfo Dulce. Responding to the alert, officers on two patrol boats GC 110-02 and GC 38-16 set sail from Quepos Canton Station, Puntarenas Province, to the area where the suspicious boat was spotted by the U.S. Coast Guard. With the help of the U.S. officers' plane, the boat was located by the Costa Rican officers. Upon seeing the presence of the officers, the crew threw several bags into the sea, the police said in its report. However, the officers managed to recover 49 bags. The coast guard detained the crew identified with the surnames Savory-Lacayo, Flores and García Cayaso. The boat and the cargo were seized and towed to the Golfito Port in Puntarenas. At the port, specialists from the Drug Control Police carried a more detailed inspection of the shipment determining that there were 1,208 packages of marijuana weighing approximately one kilogram each, plus 660 more packages with marijuana, weighing approximately 500 grams each. For a total of approximately 1,538 kilograms of marijuana. The three men were taken to the cells of the Public Ministry where a judge ordered six months of pre-trial jail against them for drug trafficking. ------------------------------ What else can authorities do to stop drug trafficking throughout Costa Rica? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com |
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