Costa Rica Pasifik'te 5,4 Ton Uyuşturucu El Koydu, 6 Şüpheli Yakalandı

Kosta Rika security forces seized a total of 5,4 tons of drugs and detained six people in two separate operations conducted in the country's Güney Pasifik region. Intelligence sharing with the Kolombiya Donanması and Panama officials played a major role in the success of the operations. Additionally, air support provided by the Amerika Birleşik Devletleri'nin Ortak Kesenler Arası Görev Gücü'nün (JIATFS), which cooperates with Güney Amerika to support regional security, was also a critical part of the operations. This comprehensive international cooperation aims to disrupt the logistical lines of criminal organizations that regularly operate in the Pasifik waters. Authorities emphasize that similar operations will continue to prevent illicit trade in the region.

According to a statement made by Kamu Güvenliği Bakanı Gerald Campos, the first operation was conducted last Wednesday, 270 kilometers southwest of Golfito in the Puntarenas province. Kosta Rika Sahil Güvenlik Özel Harekat Grubu (GOPES) teams stopped a 38-meter vessel named 'Ángel del Pacífico' that had no registration or flag. The vessel was equipped with three outboard motors, each with 200 horsepower, and searches yielded a total of 2.900 kilograms of drugs, consisting of 150 kilograms of cocaine and approximately 2.750 kilograms of marijuana. Three Colombian suspects (23-year-old Hidalgo, 50-year-old Gálvez, and 31-year-old Pertuz) who were operating the vessel were caught red-handed during the operation.

The second incident occurred in Bahía Ballena, part of the Osa region in the south of the country. Kosta Rika authorities detected another vessel exhibiting suspicious movements in the area and tracked it. Despite being equipped with three outboard motors, each with 250 horsepower, the 38-meter vessel, whose crew attempted to flee upon the approach of coast guard teams, was stopped shortly after. During the search conducted, it was determined that the suspects on board were carrying 2.526 kilograms of cocaine. In this operation, a total of three people were detained: two Ecuadorians, 28-year-old Chila and 34-year-old González, and one Colombian, 38-year-old Quiñones.

The amount of drugs seized as a result of both operations reached an enormous figure of approximately 5,4 tons. According to official data released by the Kosta Rika Uyuşturucu Enstitüsü'nün (ICD), these seizures made a significant contribution to the country's efforts in 2025. The total amount of cocaine seized in just the first months of this year reached 46,5 tons, a figure that goes down in history as the second-largest seizure in the country's history. The largest record in this field is still held by the 47,1 tons of cocaine seized in 2020. Authorities state that these figures reveal the region's critical role in international drug transit routes.

Kosta Rika has recently significantly accelerated its fight against drug cartels and international criminal organizations. In this context, taking steps to further deepen its cooperation relations with the ABD in the fields of security and counter-narcotics, the country joined an important regional initiative last March. Participating in the 'Amerika'nın Kalkanı' (Escudo de las Américas) project, initiated by ABD Başkanı Donald Trump to dismantle drug cartels, Kosta Rika continues to stand shoulder to shoulder with its global allies to ensure regional peace and security. The government reiterates at every opportunity how vital such international operations are in reducing regional crime rates.