For the third time this week Costa Rican authorities gave an important blow to drug trafficking operations in the country by seizing over half a ton of cocaine in waters of the South Pacific.

The Drug Control Police (PCD) and the National Coast Guard Service were alerted of the presence of a motorboat in the area of Punta Burica, the same location where on July 27th a semi-submersible vessel was intercepted with over one ton of cocaine aboard; the Coast Guard Service immediately assigned two patrols to the location indicated to confirm the presence of the boat.

“As the National Coast Guard patrolled the area they spotted the boat with the characteristics described and as they got near, the crew members started throwing sacks in the water”, informed the Ministry of Public Security through a press release.

In total the motorboat was carrying 569 kilograms of cocaine.

The three men aboard the vessel were a Costa Rican of surname Barquero and 26-year-of-age; a Mexican of last name Acosta 41-years-old and a Ecuadorian of last name Naranjo, age 40.

“The Ministry of Public Security and its diverse police bodies maintain an intense work in the country to battle organized crime and drug traffic and in this way strengthen the security of all the population”.

On July 25th another ship was intercepted carrying 580 kilograms near Cabo Blanco. In total this week over 2.3 tons of cocaine were seized in waters of the Pacific in Costa Rica.