No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsCrimePolice rescue giant sea turtle from trunk of a car after shootout...

Police rescue giant sea turtle from trunk of a car after shootout with suspects

Correction: Police initially reported that the turtle was a leatherback sea turtle. After several readers pointed out that it wasn’t a leatherback in the photo, The Tico Times called for clarification and a local biologist confirmed it was actually a green sea turtle.

Costa Rican police officer Raúl Rivera was helping at a routine police checkpoint late Wednesday night in the Caribbean port city of Limón when his unit was suddenly fired upon by occupants of an approaching vehicle.

“We saw the car approaching and were about to stop it for an inspection when suddenly they [the occupants] began shooting at us,” Rivera said.

Police pursued the vehicle, and after several kilometers, managed to pull it over to the side of the road. One suspect fled the scene. Another man with the last name Dower was taken into custody. When Rivera searched the car, he was shocked at what he found in the trunk.

“[Police] found an enormous [green] sea turtle in the trunk,” a press release from the Public Security Ministry stated. “It was alive and flapping its fins as if asking for help.”

Police believe the men planned to sell the kidnapped endangered turtle for meat. Green sea turtles can weigh up to 700 pounds. The creatures nest on Costa Rica’s Caribbean beaches from July to October and are often poached for their meat and eggs.

Happily, the Costa Rican Coast Guard released the turtle back into the ocean following the incident, and Rivera ended his shift early in the morning, a job well-done.

Trending Now

Uncertainty Dominates Costa Rican Voters Ahead of 2026 Elections

A new poll from the University of Costa Rica's Center for Political Research and Studies (CIEP-UCR) paints a picture of widespread indecision among Costa...

What Camera Traps Miss Chasing Jaguars in Costa Rica

Five years ago, I began my journey using camera traps in wildlife monitoring projects in Costa Rica. A few years after that I began...

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 Politics Shaken by Fatal Crash with Eli Feinzaig

A head-on collision on the Bernardo Soto highway in Buenos Aires de Palmares, Alajuela, turned deadly Friday morning, killing Éricka Benavides, advisor to Congressman...

Trump Says He Will End US Aid to Colombia as Tensions Spike

United States President Donald Trump on Sunday accused his Colombian counterpart, Gustavo Petro, of tolerating drug production and announced he would end “large-scale payments...

How to Grow Broccoli Successfully in Costa Rica’s Highlands

In Costa Rica's cooler highland regions, home gardeners harvest fresh broccoli that brings a distinct flavor to everyday meals. This vegetable packs vitamins A,...
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