Big
Cocaine Seizure Off
Pacific
Costa Rican authorities
seized almost two tonnes
of cocaine on two speed
boats on Monday, the
latest capture in a
series of large,
U.S.-backed drug
operations in the
country.
Costa Rican coast guards
hauled 899 kilograms of
cocaine off one boat
along the country's
Pacific coast and
stopped another with a
similar amount with help
of the U.S. Coast Guard.
Authorities have yet to
disclose the exact
amount on the second
boat as Colombian
smugglers sabotaged the
vessel and caused it to
sink in shallow waters,
slowing the narcotics
collection.
"Judging by the size of
the quantity on the
first boat, we expect to
find a similar amount on
the boat that sank,"
said Fernando Berrocal,
ministro de Seguridad
Pública and the target
of alleged Colombian
hitmen deported from
Costa Rica last month.
The Costa Rican and U.S.
Coast Guards had been
searching for the boats
after being alerted by
U.S. authorities on
Saturday evening,
Berrocal said.
Traffickers have changed
tactics, hugging the
Costa Rican coastline in
order to avoid detection
on the high seas by the
U.S. Coast Guard, he
added.
The Coast Rican
government, with U.S.
assistance, has captured
21 tonnes of cocaine
this year, compared with
23 tonnes in all of last
year.
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