According to the Ministry of Public Security (MSP), the operation began after a U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) aircraft detected a suspicious 32-foot speedboat traveling along the Pacific Coast without visible registration numbers or a national flag.

The operation was coordinated by the DEA and the USCG in partnership with Costa Rica's Coast Guard and Drug Control Police.

Costa Rican authorities intercepted the first vessel near Sirena Beach in Osa Peninsula, Puntarenas Province, after receiving an alert from the DEA.

Officers arrested two Colombian men suspected of international drug trafficking. Officials identified the suspects by the surnames Caicedo and Salazar.

Both vessels were towed to the Coast Guard Station in Golfito, where officers from the Drug Control Police (PCD) conducted a detailed inspection. Investigators discovered nearly 2,500 packages of marijuana with an estimated total weight of approximately 1.5 tons.

Authorities also seized the two vessels, electronic navigation equipment and other devices as evidence.

The four suspects were transferred to the custody of the Puntarenas Public Ministry, where prosecutors were expected to seek pretrial detention on charges related to international drug trafficking.

Authorities urged the public to report suspected drug trafficking or illegal drug sales through the confidential 10-digit hotline at 800-8000-645 or the rapid-response line 1176. Officials said bilingual agents are available to assist callers in both English and Spanish.

MPS reported that authorities seized 58 tons of illegal drugs in 2025, primarily cocaine and marijuana.

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

The assistance has included specialized equipment, training and technical expertise aimed at strengthening law enforcement capabilities, combating organized crime and improving the justice system's ability to prosecute transnational criminal organizations.

Recently, Costa Rica and the United States signed an amendment to their bilateral patrol treaty that expanded cooperation to include efforts against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in addition to maritime drug trafficking.

In March, the United States donated two mobile cargo scanners to Costa Rica to strengthen security at major border crossings and enhance efforts to combat drug trafficking and transnational organized crime.

Costa Rica also joined a U.S.-led regional agreement during the Shield of the Americas Summit to strengthen cooperation against criminal cartels and transnational organized crime throughout the Western Hemisphere.

The Ministry of Public Security (MSP) is responsible for maintaining public order, overseeing the country's police forces and coordinating Costa Rica's national crime-fighting strategies.

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