Guatemala’s anti-narcotics authorities confiscated 525 kilos (1,157 pounds) of cocaine hidden in a container that arrived from Costa Rica at a Pacific port. The drugs were found in a metal box inside a container at the APM port facility in Escuintla. The operation began on Friday and more containers suspected of carrying illicit substances are being investigated.

Agents from the Narcotics Trafficking Crimes Prosecutor’s Office, along with the National Civil Police and the Guatemalan Army, are conducting the operation. The shipment originated from Costa Rica, but no arrests have been made yet. Central America is often used by international cartels, aided by local traffickers, to transport drugs to Mexico and the United States.

In 2023, Guatemala’s anti-drug forces seized over three tons of cocaine, which was a nearly 50% reduction compared to the previous year. According to Washington, the majority of cocaine entering the US passes through Mexico and Central America using various modes of transportation like planes, boats, and submarines.