The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) led a joint anti-drug operation in Costa Rica that resulted in the arrest of four suspected drug traffickers and the seizure of 100 vials of ketamine, a veterinary anesthetic with hallucinogenic properties, authorities said.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office said the operation was carried out on Thursday after intelligence information provided by the DEA prompted agents from the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ), to set up a highway checkpoint along Route 32.

The highway is the country’s main transportation corridor linking the Caribbean province of Limón with San José and the Pacific Coast.

Authorities said officers identified a vehicle matching the description provided through DEA intelligence and ordered the driver to pull over.

During a search of the vehicle, agents discovered at least 100 vials of Ketonal, several packages of marijuana and cash, officials said.

Ketamine is medically used for anesthesia, pain management and depression treatment. However, the drug is also illegally used recreationally because of its hallucinogenic and dissociative effects.

The four suspects, identified by the surnames Rosales, Estupiñán, Porras and Trimero, were arrested and transferred to the Anti-Narcotics Prosecutor’s Office in San José, where they were questioned by OIJ investigators.

The suspects are awaiting a judge’s ruling on pretrial measures while prosecutors pursue allegations of illegal drug trafficking.

Authorities also seized the vehicle, cash, cellphones and other electronic devices as evidence in the case.

Officials urged the public to report suspected drug-related activity through Costa Rica’s confidential 10-digit hotline at 800-8000-645 or the rapid-response line at 1176. Both services are available in English and Spanish.

The operation was conducted under the Joint Drug Control Treaty between Costa Rica and the United States, which supports coordinated anti-drug enforcement efforts between the two countries.

The DEA recently participated in another operation that resulted in the seizure of nearly 2 tons of cocaine and the arrest of six suspects off Costa Rica’s Pacific coast.

Since 2018, the United States has provided nearly $270 million in bilateral and regional security assistance to Costa Rica, according to the U.S. Department of State.

The assistance includes equipment, training and technical support aimed at strengthening law enforcement, combating organized crime and improving the justice system’s ability to prosecute transnational criminal organizations.

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