A joint anti-narcotics operation led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in coordination with Costa Rican authorities resulted in the seizure of nearly 500 kilograms of cocaine, Costa Rica’s Ministry of Public Security (MSP) announced.

The operation began after DEA agents alerted Costa Rican officials about a suspicious fishing vessel traveling along the Pacific coast. Acting on the tip, the Costa Rican Coast Guard launched a surveillance mission and intercepted the boat about 104 nautical miles off Quepos Beach in Puntarenas province.

On board, officers found large duffel bags filled with dozens of packages suspected to contain cocaine. Three crew members were taken into custody on drug trafficking charges. Authorities identified the suspects as two Costa Ricans, ages 47 and 40, surnamed Serrano and Chacón, and a Nicaraguan national, García, 35 years old.

The vessel was towed to the Quepos Coast Guard station, where Costa Rica’s Drug Control Police (PCD) carried out a detailed inspection. Officials later confirmed the cargo contained 478 kilograms of cocaine.

The suspects were transferred to a detention facility under the jurisdiction of the Puntarenas Public Ministry. Prosecutors are seeking pretrial detention while the men face international drug trafficking charges.

Authorities urged the public to report suspected drug sales or trafficking through Costa Rica’s confidential hotline at 800-8000-645 or its rapid-response line at 1176, where bilingual agents are available in both English and Spanish.

This seizure is part of a broader series of coordinated anti-drug efforts under the Joint Maritime Patrol Treaty between Costa Rica and the United States. Recently, the U.S. Coast Guard supported two simultaneous operations targeting narcotics shipments in Costa Rican waters.

In 2024 alone, Costa Rican authorities seized nearly 32 tons of cocaine and 15 tons of marijuana, according to MSP data. The country has set record-breaking seizure totals in recent years, including 72.7 metric tons of narcotics in 2020 and 71.1 metric tons in 2021.

The U.S. State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) works closely with Costa Rica’s security forces, providing training, equipment, and technical support. Since the partnership began, Washington has provided more than $270 million in bilateral and regional security assistance to modernize Costa Rica’s security forces, strengthen its justice system, and enhance its ability to investigate and prosecute transnational criminal organizations.

The Ministry of Public Security oversees citizen safety, public order, and anti-crime initiatives in Costa Rica, coordinating closely with U.S. agencies to disrupt organized crime and drug trafficking routes.

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