Costa Rica seizes first-ever liquid cocaine haul at sea

Costa Rican authorities have made a groundbreaking seizure, intercepting a fishing boat carrying approximately 560 kilograms of liquid cocaine and 95 kilograms of powdered cocaine in the Pacific Ocean. The operation, which involved intelligence cooperation with the Colombian Navy, resulted in the arrest of four Costa Rican nationals.

The vessel, named 'Sol de Oro VI,' was intercepted 289 kilometers off the coast of Golfito, Puntarenas province. During the encounter, the crew attempted to discard some of the liquid cocaine barrels into the sea, but authorities managed to recover them. The four arrested individuals, identified by their surnames Madriz Sánchez, Solórzano Villalobos, Pérez Méndez, and Herrera Acevedo, will face charges for international drug trafficking, a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison in Costa Rica.

This incident is considered "unprecedented" by the Ministry of Public Security and underscores the escalating challenges Costa Rica faces in combating drug trafficking. The country has seen a significant rise in violence linked to drug cartels, with recent years recording historic levels of homicides. In 2025, authorities confiscated 46.5 tons of cocaine, the second-highest amount in the nation's history. As of March 2026, the total cocaine seizures reached 13.8 tons, indicating the persistent flow of illicit substances through the region.