Coordinated operations by the Costa Rica Coast Guard Service, the Aerial Surveillance Service and the Drug Control Police resulted in another hit to drug traffickers in waters of the South Pacific.

A Costa Rican fishing boat was stopped carrying an important load of cocaine, an amount not yet quantified but estimated in close to one ton; the packets were hidden under a lot of ice in the storage area of the boat.

According to the director of the National Coast Guard Service, the Coast Guard boats and the planes of Aerial Surveillance were patrolling the area in front of Punta Burica when the spotted a suspicious boat, they made the decision to intercept and stop the vessel. The boat is Costa Rican and with registration PG-6576 from Golfito.

Seven men were on board, three of them from Ecuador and of last names Estrada, Catuto and Achudia, another one was Colombian and of last name Valencia and three Costa Ricans identified with last names Quirós, Castellón and Segura.

So far this year the Costa Rican authorities have seized over 28 tons of cocaine.

The Ministry of Security has confirmed they are investing in new vessels and ground vehicles to continue to battle drug trafficking in the country.