A joint operation led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Costa Rican authorities resulted in the seizure of nearly 300 kilograms (660 pounds) of cocaine, the Ministry of Public Security (MSP) said.

The operation began Saturday after DEA agents alerted Costa Rican authorities to a suspected cocaine shipment moving through San José.

Based on the intelligence, the Drug Control Police launched a surveillance operation to locate and intercept the cargo.

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During routine highway patrols in the La Uruca district of San José, officers identified three vehicles matching the description provided by the DEA.

Police stopped the vehicles and conducted inspections, discovering multiple packages of cocaine hidden in a concealed compartment beneath the seats.

Authorities identified the drivers as a 26-year-old Colombian national with the surname Castaño-Lozada, and two Costa Rican nationals, Palacio-Mena, 41, and Rodriguez-Bustos, 65. All three were arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking.

A subsequent inspection by Drug Control Police agents confirmed the seizure totaled 298 kilograms of cocaine.

Officials also confiscated the vehicles, documents and other items as evidence.

The suspects remain in custody at Public Ministry facilities, where prosecutors are seeking pretrial detention on international drug trafficking charges.

Authorities urged the public to report suspected drug trafficking through Costa Rica’s confidential 10-digit hotline at 800-8000-645 or its rapid-response line at 1176. Assistance is available in both English and Spanish.

The operation was carried out under the Joint Patrol Treaty between Costa Rica and the United States.

Since 2018, the U.S. State Department has provided more than $269 million in bilateral and regional security assistance to Costa Rica, including equipment, training and technical expertise aimed at strengthening law enforcement, combating organized crime and improving the justice system’s capacity to prosecute transnational criminal groups.

As part of the treaty, Costa Rica’s Congress (Legislative Assembly) recently authorized the arrival of 195 U.S. Coast Guard vessels in the country.

Costa Rica has reported some of the highest drug seizure totals in Central America in recent years. According to MSP data, authorities seized nearly 32 metric tons of cocaine and 15 metric tons of marijuana in 2024.

The MSP is Costa Rica’s national security agency responsible for citizen safety, public order and anti-crime efforts.

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