By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The United States Coast Guard led two gasoline smuggling operations in Costa Rica that resulted in the arrest of seven individuals accused of trafficking fuel.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, the first case happened on Friday, when a U.S. Coast Guard airplane spotted a suspicious small bass fishing boat crossing the Costa Rican Pacific Coast with no visible license plate number or country's flag.

U.S. officials led the Costa Rican Coast Guard to intercept the 32-foot-long boat around 80 nautical miles off Quepos Beach, Puntarenas Province.

Costa Rican authorities discovered at least five large gasoline containers as well as navigation equipment onboard.

The police arrested four male crew members suspected of trafficking gasoline: a Nicaraguan surnamed Sánchez (24), a Costa Rican surnamed Quiros (54) and two Colombians surnamed Sierra.

Authorities towed the boat to the Quepos Beach Coast Guard Station. On Saturday, Drug Control Police specialists conducted a more extensive inspection and discovered that the shipment included 660 liters of gasoline.

The suspects were unable to explain why they were shipping gasoline in an unlicensed boat. They were transferred to the Puntarenas Public Ministry cells and had to wait for a judge to rule on a pre-trial indictment for alleged gasoline smuggling.

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

The second case occurred on Saturday when another U.S. Coast Guard airplane discovered a suspicious little bass fishing boat with no visible registration plate number or nation flag crossing the Costa Rica Caribbean Coast.

The Costa Rican Coast Guard located the 32-foot-long boat using coordinates provided by U.S. officials and after it went aground at Cieneguita Beach in Limón.

In a land operation, police detained three Costa Rican male boat crew suspects surnamed Estrada, Reyes, and Ruiz.

The cargo and boat were confiscated and transported to the Coast Guard station in Limón Beach. At the place, authorities discovered that the shipment consisted of several large fuel containers totaling 290 liters of gasoline.

Like the first case, the suspects were unable to justify their motives for shipping the gasoline on an unlicensed boat. They were taken to the Limon Public Ministry cells, where they had to wait for a judge to issue a pre-trial indictment for the alleged crime of gasoline smuggling.

 

Authorities urge 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.

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