Costa Rica seizes three-quarters of a tonne of cocaine

Costa Rican authorities seized three quarters of a ton of cocaine jettisoned from a boat by its five-man crew, the public security ministry said today.

The vessel was intercepted during a weekend operation off the southern Pacific coast of the Central American country.

In waters nearby, authorities recovered 20 floating bundles found to contain 773 kilograms of cocaine.

The five suspects arrested carried no identity documents. They have been detained and face charges of international drug trafficking.

Central America is one of the main routes for drugs headed from South America to the United States and Europe.