No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsCrimePolice interrupt drug stickup, seize over 500 kg of cocaine

Police interrupt drug stickup, seize over 500 kg of cocaine

It probably should have been a red flag for the drug trafficker that when two police officers tried to arrest him they were driving a Honda Civic.

On Monday morning, two Costa Rican National Police officers arrested several suspects accused of impersonating police officers as they attempted to steal 573 kilograms of cocaine from a suspected drug trafficker in Naranjo, Alajuela, in the northwestern Central Valley.

The fake cops – two Honduran citizens surnamed Cordero and Álvarez – were dressed as National Police and Drug Control Police (PCD) officers when they pulled over three trucks, one of which carried more than half a metric ton of cocaine. The impersonators, who drove a Honda Civic, according to the police report, handcuffed the three truck drivers when two real police officers stumbled onto the scene and gave chase. Neither of the suspects had prior criminal records.

PCD drug-sniffing dogs found the cocaine hidden in the coupling between the truck and the trailer. The driver hauling the drugs was another Honduran man, a 25-year-old surnamed Vásquez, who entered Costa Rica from Panama on Nov. 19.

Other similar stickups have occurred this year, including a bungled robbery in October where the suspects impersonated Judicial Investigation Police officers.

Costa Rica’s Public Security Ministry has seized 22.5 metric tons of cocaine this year as of Nov. 23, more than any other Central American country, according to minister Celso Gamboa.

Trending Now

Costa Rica Condemns Global Inaction on Humanitarian Crises at UN

Costa Rica has issued a forceful appeal to the international community to respond more swiftly and collaboratively to humanitarian emergencies across the globe, citing...

5 Top Costa Rican Restaurants on TripAdvisor’s Best List

Costa Rica's restaurants have landed spots on TripAdvisor's global list of top dining spots this year. Five local places made the cut in the...

World Tourism Day 2025 Focuses on Sustainable Transformation

Today marks World Tourism Day, held every September 27 to highlight tourism's role in economies and communities worldwide. This year's theme, "Tourism and Sustainable...

What to Expect from Costa Rica’s Weather in October

October heads into a rainier stretch than usual for most of Costa Rica, based on the latest from the National Meteorological Institute. For those...

Costa Rica’s Tourism Adapts to Demands for Authentic Experiences

Costa Rica's tourism sector keeps shifting as travelers look for deeper connections with local life, moving past basic stays to hands-on involvement in food,...

US Revokes Visa of CRHoy Owner Amid Fraud Allegations

The US government revoked the tourist and business visa of Leonel Baruch, the businessman behind Costa Rican news site CRHoy. Reports connect the move...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica