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Photo courtesy of the Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) and social media.

Costa Rican Police Dismiss Interpol Alert at Juan Santamaría International Airport

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Published on Thursday, May 14, 2026
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Costa Rican authorities on Wednesday dismissed an Interpol alert regarding suspected weapons and explosives allegedly inside a vehicle abandoned in the parking lot of Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), located in Alajuela province.

The Ministry of Public Security (MSP) said the incident began around 3 p.m. after Interpol issued an alert indicating that weapons and explosives were believed to be inside a white sedan reportedly left in the airport parking area.

Javier Moreira, director of the Air Surveillance Service, said authorities immediately coordinated an operation with agents from the Special Intervention Unit (UEI) under the Ministry of the Presidency.

Bomb squad specialists entered the area wearing protective bomb-disposal suits and used a controlled explosive charge to open the vehicle’s doors and trunk. After conducting a thorough inspection, authorities determined there were no weapons or explosives inside the vehicle.

Moreira said airport operations were not disrupted during the approximately three-hour police operation. Authorities only restricted public access to a security perimeter surrounding the vehicle as a precautionary measure.

However, Aeris Holdings, the company that manages the airport, said one of the access roads to the international arrivals and departures terminal was temporarily closed for security reasons during the operation. The roadway reopened shortly before 6 p.m. after police concluded the investigation.

Agents from the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ) will continue investigating the case to identify the vehicle’s owner and determine why the car was abandoned in the airport parking lot.

Juan Santamaría International Airport is Costa Rica’s primary international airport. In 2025, the airport handled more than 1.74 million international tourist passengers.

The Ministry of Public Security (MSP) is the government agency responsible for maintaining public safety and order, and coordinating anti-crime initiatives. It oversees national law enforcement divisions, including the National Police and the Border and Tourist Police.

The OIJ, a branch of Costa Rica’s Supreme Court of Justice, is responsible for conducting criminal investigations nationwide.

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What have you heard about expatriates affected by security operations conducted at Juan Santamaría International Airport? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com