No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeCosta RicaPort Scanners Fail to Detect Drugs in Costa Rica Shipment

Port Scanners Fail to Detect Drugs in Costa Rica Shipment

The Costa Rican government’s assurance, backed by security agencies, that the scanners installed at the Moín port in Limón would prevent drug shipments in containers has been recently challenged.

The Rotterdam port in the Netherlands intercepted a shipment containing a staggering 494 kilos of cocaine stashed in 1,950 packages. This alarming news was disseminated via the Public Ministry’s social channels in Rotterdam towards the close of August.

Surprisingly, Costa Rica’s Security Minister, Mario Zamora, stated that there was no official communication received about the matter.

However, once the information was verified, Zamora stated that the shipment had indeed traversed the scanner checkpoint within Costa Rica’s borders.

The inspection of this shipment occurred on July 31, a mere fortnight after the initiation of the revised scanning procedure implemented by local authorities. This particular examination was undertaken at Station 2.

“At that specific juncture, when the container was being screened, the scanner was experiencing technical difficulties,” Minister Zamora explained.

He further elaborated that the equipment, predicted to last five years, malfunctioned within just two weeks of its deployment in Limón. It turned out that this particular scanner was the one that encountered the most glitches.

 “We’re inclined to believe there’s a technical malfunction that’s currently under review,” the Minister added.

Following the confirmation of the drug seizure at the European port, Zamora ensured that a comprehensive evaluation will be undertaken to ascertain potential lapses or elements that may have played a part in this oversight.

Parallelly, the incident has been handed over to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, emphasizing the necessity for a thorough judicial examination of the occurrence.

This matter deeply concerns the Costa Rican government, which had championed the introduction of these scanners as a pivotal strategy in their fight against drug trafficking.

Historically, Costa Rica’s ports have been hubs for product shipments, which, to the detriment of legal trade, were exploited by criminals. They cleverly concealed drugs within these consignments, which then went undetected during the export process, which is why the government decided to install the scanners.

Trending Now

Tourist Numbers Dropped in Costa Rica During 2025’s First Seven Months

Costa Rica's tourism took a hit in the first seven months of 2025, with visitor numbers dropping compared to the previous year. By the...

U.S. Labeled Terrorists Escape Guatemalan Jail Amid Homicide Surge

Guatemala City – Authorities in Guatemala confirmed on Sunday that 20 high-ranking members of the Barrio 18 gang broke out of the Fraijanes II...

Bolivia Elects Center-Right Leader Amid Crisis

Bolivians on Sunday elected a pro-business center-right senator as their new president, ending two decades of socialist rule that have left the South American...

Starbucks Honors Costa Rica’s Coffee Roots in October Festivities

Coffee runs deep in our veins, a tradition that started in the 1700s and shapes our country's economy and culture today. This October, Starbucks...

Costa Rica’s Blue Carpet event unites Leaders for Ocean Innovation and Tourism

On Friday, the Costa Rican Fishing Federation (FECOP) held the second edition of La Alfombra Azul, an event created to celebrate innovation, science, and...

Costa Rica Peanut Growing Guide From Planting to Harvest

Not long ago, a neighbor gave us some peanuts she said were from Peru. Since we’ve had good luck growing peanuts, we were excited...
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