Costa Rican authorities received the alert from the US Coast Guard Service on a semi-submersible boat in waters of the Pacific; immediately the Costa Rican Coast Guard Service with the assistance of US Coast Guard Service organized the patrolling operation and after a chase they finally intercepted the vessel at 3 a.m. on Saturday close to Playa Llorona in Corcovado.

“The weather conditions at the time were adverse, the three occupants of the boat were able to escape towards the mountain area”, explained Michael Soto, Minister of Security.

During the search, the Drug Control Police counted a total of 81 bags which turned out to contain a total 2,377 kilograms of cocaine.

“This was a complex operation that involved the participation of several police bodies and institutions, the joint patrolling of the US and Costa Rican Coast Guard Service, Frontier Police, Public Police Force, Drug Control Police and members of the National System of Areas of Conservation (SINAC), we obtained very positive results for the country in the battle against drug trafficking”, continued Soto.

Authorities continued in the search of the suspects, a complicated task considering the size and dense forest conditions of Corcovado. At a given point, already late on Saturday, three men were spotted near the beach and as the park rangers approached them one of the men pulled out a gun and opened fire wounding one of the park rangers who is reported in stable condition.

Two of the men were arrested, both of Colombian nationality, the third man managed to escape through the jungle.