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Agents of the Regional Police Station of Corredores in Puntarenas along with the National Coast Guard Service and Frontier Police, managed to arrest two men this Friday from Ecuador as suspects of International Drug Trafficking.
According to preliminary information, the agents were informed on Thursday of the presence of a vessel supposedly carrying drugs, in the area of Punta Burica and two men that were keeping guard over it. Authorities immediately coordinated with the Coast Guard and the Frontier Police and this Friday they located a semi-submersible vessel with two 75 horsepower outboard motors and of approximately 12 meters (39 feet) long.
Aboard the ship they found 30 packages containing close to 1,200 kilograms of cocaine.
Earlier this week on July 25th, the Ministry of Public Security intercepted a ship carrying 580 kilograms of cocaine close to Cabo Blanco in Puntarenas.
On March, an 18 meter (59 feet) long semi-submersible ship was found also in Puntarenas, this time empty, only carrying food remains and evidence of the people aboard. It was likely abandoned after the drugs were unloaded.
Semi-submersible ships are often use by drug trafficking operations.
“Semi-submersible vessels with cocaine are often towed by fishing boats. These boats blend in with legitimate boating traffic and can detach the submersible if law enforcement stops the boat’s operator.
Another challenge associated with these vessels is the risk of being driven and controlled remotely. If traffickers master the technology to remotely operate these vessels, it will be more difficult for law enforcement to hold traffickers accountable when the Coast Guard seizes these semi-submersibles. Self-propelled, semi-submersible vessels have definitely created an emerging challenge for law enforcement.
