Costa Rica’s National Coast Guard Service (SNG, in Spanish) and Ministry of Public Security (MSP, in Spanish) seized 6,809 kilograms of cocaine and 3,857 kg of marijuana in seven operations, November 1-8, 2021.
The MSP confirmed via Twitter the seizure of 981 kg of cocaine in Matina, Limón province, on November 8. A Colombian national was transporting the drug in a speedboat that ran aground on the shore following a chase, where authorities captured him, the Costa Rican newspaper La Nación reported.
The Ministry of Public Security announced that on November 5, the SNG had received U.S. Coast Guard support to intercept a vessel, on which four Costa Ricans were transporting 1,500 kg of cocaine.
On November 2, the Coast Guard seized 855 kg of marijuana and 50 kg of cocaine on Boca Brava beach, Puntarenas province. Authorities also seized the vessel, which had twin outboard engines, the Costa Rican newspaper CRHoy reported.
At the Gastón Kogan Pier, Limón province, the PDC reported that on November 1, they seized 2,500 kg of cocaine from a container with ceramics. Authorities presume that criminals contaminated the shipment, which came from Europe, in the port of Turbo, Colombia.
The SNG also confirmed seizing 1,602 kg of marijuana in Puntarenas province, on October 31. Agents found the drug in a speedboat with a crew of three Nicaraguans and one Colombian national.
On October 30, the Ministry of Public Security reported the seizure of 1,400 kg of marijuana that two Costa Ricans were transporting in a speedboat in the Caribbean Sea, off the Limón province. A U.S. Air Force patrol aircraft detected the vessel.
“We are analyzing whether this drug comes from Jamaica, because at some point there was a route, or is from Colombia, as in recent months,” Michael Soto, Costa Rica’s Minister of Public Security, said.
Finally, on October 19, the Ministry of Public Security confirmed the seizure of 1,778 kg of cocaine in a semisubmersible that was sailing 20 nautical miles off the coast of the city of Golfito, Puntarenas province. Two Colombians and one Ecuadorian national were manning the vessel.
