No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveSuspected drug traffickers turned over to Costa Rican authorities

Suspected drug traffickers turned over to Costa Rican authorities

Officials of the United States Coast Guard on Thursday docked in the Pacific port of Caldera to deliver suspected drug traffickers arrested for carrying cocaine aboard two boats with Costa Rican flags a couple weeks ago.

The speedboat “El Anzuelo” was captured 150 miles north of Ecuador, with 506 kilos of cocaine on board. A Costa Rican man and two Mexican nationals were taken into custody.

U.S. Coast Guard officials also detained the vessel “Capitán Alan” off the coast of Quepos, in the southern Pacific of Costa Rica, for transporting 501 kilos of cocaine. The arrested crew members were three Colombians and a Costa Rican.

Costa Rica’s anti-drug commissioner Mauricio Boraschi said the arrests and drug seizures are “a direct result of a joint patrol agreement with the United States.”

Officials from the Public Security Ministry, the Drug Control Police, the DEA, and two prosecutors received the suspects and confiscated drug samples that will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory, at the Judicial Investigation Police.

So far this year police have seized five tons and 15 kilos of cocaine, including from a boat carrying 1.7 tons of cocaine nabbed Tuesday on the Caribbean beach of Manzanillo, after being pursued by a Costa Rican Coast Guard patrol.

Trending Now

Costa Rica’s Guanacaste Makes Forbes’ Best Places to Visit in 2026

Forbes has spotlighted Guanacaste as one of the top six spots for travelers in 2026. The list also includes Nikko in Japan, Kona in...

Guatemala Backlash Grows after Escape of Imprisoned Gang Members

The escape of 20 “high-risk” gang members from a prison has sparked a political crisis in Guatemala, with criticism of President Bernardo Arévalo and...

Costa Rica OIJ Arrests Human Trafficking Ring Exploiting Minors

The Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) dismantled a gang dedicated to human trafficking for the sexual exploitation of minors after carrying out 19 simultaneous raids...

Costa Rica Targets June 2026 for New High-Security Prison

Costa Rica faces a sharp increase in homicides tied to drug trafficking, putting heavy strain on its prisons. In response, the government has moved...

Costa Rica Faces Calls to Strengthen Shark Protection Enforcement

Costa Rica faces growing pressure from environmental experts and lawyers to tighten enforcement of laws protecting endangered sharks. Recent court rulings have highlighted gaps...

Costa Rica’s Rincón de la Vieja Volcano Experiences Moderate Eruption

Guanacaste residents woke up to activity from Rincón de la Vieja volcano yesterday morning. The volcano produced a moderate phreatic eruption at 6:08 a.m....
L. Arias
L. Arias
Reporter | The Tico Times |
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