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Photo via U.S. Coast Guard.

U.S. Coast Guard leads a half-ton cocaine seizure in Costa Rica



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Published on Monday, August 26, 2024
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff



As part of the Joint Patrol Treaty with the United States, the U.S. Coast Guard led an anti-drug operation that resulted in the arrest of five Colombians for trafficking more than half a ton of cocaine.



According to the Ministry of Public Security, the case began on Thursday when a U.S. Coast Guard plane spotted a suspicious small bass fishing boat crossing the Costa Rica Caribbean Coast with no visible registration plate number or country flag.



U.S. officials instructed the Costa Rican Coast Guard to follow the alert's coordinates to intercept the 32-foot-long boat around 79 nautical miles off Limón Beach, Limón Province.



On Friday, the boat was intercepted. Costa Rican officers found large bags containing drugs along with many large fuel containers and navigation equipment.







The police arrested the five male Colombian crew members surnamed Berríos (34), Faicuare (60), Lara (29), Torres (24) and Pacheco (39).



Authorities towed the boat to the Limón Beach Coast Guard Station.





At the place on Saturday, specialists from the Drug Control Police conducted a more thorough inspection and found almost 590 cocaine packages, each weighing approximately one kilogram.



The boat, drugs, fuel and electronic navigation equipment were confiscated as evidence in this case.

  


The suspects
were taken to the cells of the Limón Public Ministry, where they had to wait for a judge to order pre-trial prison indicted of the alleged crime of international drug trafficking.



Authorities call for people to report any suspicion of drug sales or trafficking to the ten-digit confidential line 800-8000-645 or fast line 11-76, where bilingual agents can answer calls in English or Spanish.



So far this year Costa Rica seized almost 16 tons of cocaine and about 11 tons of marijuana, authorities added.



Last year, Security authorities seized 43.5 tons of drugs and arrested over 190,000 suspects.







The State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) works closely with Costa Rican security partners.



Through cooperation and assistance from INL and other law enforcement agencies, Costa Rica confronts its drug trafficking problem by intercepting and confiscating illicit drugs.



Narcotics seizures by the Costa Rican government hit new records in 2020 and 2021, with 72.7 and 71.1 metric tons seized respectively. However, seizures declined in 2022 to 54.3 metric tons, according to the U.S. Department of State.



The U.S. assigned over $269 million in bilateral and regional security assistance to strengthen and modernize Costa Rica’s security forces, improve local security throughout the country, reduce the influence of corruption, and enhance the justice sector’s ability to investigate and prosecute transnational criminals, the Department of State, added in its statement.



This assistance includes equipment donations, training, and technical assistance that enhance Costa Rica’s capacity to confront the growing threat of organized crime and drug trafficking. 



In June, the U.S. ​​donated almost $700,000 to the Ministry of Public Security to improve security tactics and equipment for police officers and agents of the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ).



The Ministry of Public Security (MSP) is the government agency in charge of ensuring citizen security, preserving public order, forming police units, and coordinating anti-crime initiatives.


---------------
What more should the United States do to help Costa Rica fight drug trafficking?
We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com




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