Costa Rica, U.S. seize over 4 tonnes of cocaine bound for North America, authorities say

A joint operation led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Coast Guard on Thursday resulted in the seizure of more than four tons of cocaine and the arrest of two suspects off Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast.

The Ministry of Public Security (MSP) said the operation began after the DEA alerted local officials about a suspicious “go-fast” vessel with no visible registration or national flag traveling about 170 nautical miles off the Golfito Port in Puntarenas Province.

Acting on the tip, the U.S. Coast Guard, working jointly with the Costa Rican Coast Guard, intercepted the 32-foot boat and detained its two-man crew.

Inside the vessel, officers found large sacks containing dozens of packages initially believed to be cocaine.

The two suspects, both Colombian nationals identified by the last name Hernández and Moreno, were taken into custody.

The boat went down during the capture operation, authorities added.

The seized drug was transported by the U.S. Coast Guard to the Coast Guard station in Golfito, where the Drug Control Police conducted a detailed inspection. Authorities later confirmed the haul included approximately 4.4 tons of cocaine.

The detainees are being held under the jurisdiction of the Puntarenas Public Ministry. Prosecutors are seeking pretrial detention on international drug trafficking charges.

Authorities urged the public to report possible trafficking activity through Costa Rica’s confidential hotline at 800-8000-645 or its rapid-response line at 1176, which offers bilingual assistance in English and Spanish.

The operation was carried out under the Joint Maritime Patrol Treaty between Costa Rica and the United States. Since 2018, the U.S. State Department has provided more than $269 million in bilateral and regional security assistance to Costa Rica.

The support includes equipment, training and technical expertise aimed at strengthening law enforcement, combating organized crime and improving the justice system’s ability to prosecute transnational criminal groups.

Costa Rica has reported some of the highest drug seizure totals in Central America in recent years. According to MSP data, authorities confiscated nearly 32 tons of cocaine and 15 tons of marijuana in 2024. 

The MSP is the national security agency that oversees citizen safety, public order and anti-crime efforts.

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