A joint operation led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Costa Rican authorities resulted in the seizure of about 3 tons of marijuana and the arrest of three suspects off Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast, officials said.

The Ministry of Public Security (MSP) said the operation began on Wednesday after the DEA alerted local authorities to a suspicious go-fast vessel traveling about 40 nautical miles offshore near Matapalo Beach in southern Puntarenas Province. The 35-foot boat carried the registration Monarca CP01 but was flying no national flag.

Acting on the tip, the Costa Rican Coast Guard intercepted the vessel and detained its three-man crew. Officers discovered large sacks containing dozens of packages believed to be marijuana.

The suspects, identified as Colombian nationals with the last names Cortés, Carvajal and Vallecillo, were taken into custody.

Officials also confiscated the boat, the drugs, fuel and electronic navigation equipment as evidence.

The suspects remain in custody under the jurisdiction of the Puntarenas Public Ministry facilities. 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, which offers assistance in English and Spanish.

The operation was conducted under the Joint Maritime 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.

As part of the treaty, Costa Rica’s 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 the MSP data, authorities seized nearly 32 tons of cocaine and 15 tons of marijuana in 2024.

To boost exports, Costa Rica legalized medical cannabis and hemp production in 2022.  Later, in February 2025, the Ministry of Public Health issued the technical regulation on medicinal products based on cannabis to oversee the use of medical cannabis in the country. However, recreational use, self-cultivation, and personal consumption remain illegal. 

The MSP is the national security agency responsible for citizen safety, public order and anti-crime efforts.