President Carlos Alvarado and the Minister of Security, Michael Soto, signed Law 9579 that will allow the National Coast Guard Service the use of ships, boats, speed boats and jet skies that have been or are seized from organized crime.

The signing of this law took place in the Presidential House, as one of the activities that marked the official establishment of the National Security Council that for the first time will be presided by the President of the Republic.

In the past there were a number of limitations that prevented the National Coast Guard Service to use these vessels to help combat drug trafficking and criminality, and which also eliminated the possibility of donating them for other national interests or even getting rid of them.

“This caused that hundreds of these goods deteriorated due to lack of use to a point were they were practically useless and only accumulated in the warehouses of the National Coast Guard Service”, explained Soto.

With this new law the Coast Guard authorities will be able to determine whether the vessels have the necessary characteristics to be used in their operations; otherwise, they will be allowed to sell them, offer them as a form of payment, use them for parts or donate them to other organizations or institutions that can use them. If donating is not an option the Coast Guard service is authorized to destroy the good.

The National Security Council which was officially established today will be in charge of defining the national strategies that will be implemented to combat crime in the country.