# Costa Rica-U.S. cocaine transfer operation

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/costa-rica-us-cocaine-transfer-operation
> Updated: 2026-09-30T14:56:50.000Z. Sources: 16. Developments: 2.

Costa Rican and United States authorities coordinated the transfer of approximately 45 tons of seized cocaine from Costa Rica to the United States for destruction. The operation utilized a U.S. Air Force C-17 military transport aircraft to move the shipment from Juan Santamaría International Airport.

Costa Rican officials, including Prosecutor General Carlo Díaz, noted that the transfer was necessitated by local budgetary constraints and limited incineration capacity for such a large volume of drugs. The shipment, valued between $1 billion and $1.25 billion, was destined for incineration at a facility in Indianapolis, Indiana. The effort involved cooperation between the Costa Rican Public Ministry, the Judicial Investigation Department (OIJ), and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

## Timeline

### 2026-09-30: United States Air Force transports 45 tons of seized drugs from Costa Rica

A U.S. Air Force C-17 transported 45 tons of seized drugs from Costa Rica to the United States for destruction following a bilateral law enforcement operation.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/united-states-air-force-transports-45-tons-of-seized-drugs-from-costa-rica

### 2026-09-28: Costa Rica and U.S. coordinate transfer of 45 tons of cocaine for destruction

The U.S. Air Force transported 45 tons of cocaine from Costa Rica to Indiana for destruction due to Costa Rican budgetary and capacity constraints. The shipment is valued at over $1 billion.

14 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/costa-rica-and-us-bolster-anti-drug-efforts-with-massive-cocaine-destruction

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Cite as: Costa Rica-U.S. cocaine transfer operation. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/costa-rica-us-cocaine-transfer-operation