Under a sophisticated joint operation conducted 337 kilometers off the coast, the Costa Rican Ministry of Public Security successfully seized a boat loaded with an enormous 2.5 tons (2,500 kilos) of marijuana. This operation also led to the arrest of 5 Nicaraguan individuals onboard, thanks to support from the United States and Colombia.
The audacious operation took place last Thursday, though the public was only briefed on the details on Saturday afternoon by Manuel Jiménez, the Deputy Minister overseeing Public Security Special Units. Jiménez expressed gratitude for the coordinated action taken by the Costa Rican, U.S., and Colombian authorities that led to the success of this highly strategic operation.
The boat intercepted, a 38-foot speedboat, bore no identification, neither flag nor name nor registration number. Three 200 horsepower engines powered it. The five Nicaraguan crew members included captain Hendry Willis, aged 26; Hammer Muller, 50; Rigby Reed, 42; Gómez Simor, 32; and Evans Willis, 29. None of them had immigration records in Costa Rica.
As per the information released, joint air patrols consisting of a U.S. aircraft and another from Costa Rica’s Air Surveillance Service detected the vessel. Director Javier Moreira emphasized the crucial part these aerial patrols played in identifying the suspicious boat, facilitating prompt action from the coast guard teams.
“It was the aerial reconnaissance from these aircraft that led to the identification of the suspicious boat, enabling the coast guard to pinpoint its location,” Moreira commented.
Stephen Madden, the Director of the Drug Control Police, elaborated further, stating that prior intelligence operations had signalled a potential high-profile drug trafficking mission aimed at Costa Rica.
In a historical achievement, this was the most distant point at which Costa Rica had ever executed a counter-narcotics operation. The officials noted that the mission took approximately 24 non-stop hours of navigation before coast guard officers finally docked at the port of Golfito with the seized boat, the illegal cargo, and the detained crew.
The successful deep-sea drug seizure reflects Costa Rica’s strong resolve to challenge organized crime and to fortify efforts against drug trafficking.
Thanks to tight cooperation among security partners, authorities managed to deal a significant blow to drug smugglers, preventing a massive load of marijuana from entering the country. Officials committed to continuing this battle via similar operations and intelligence-led initiatives.
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