In the international operation under Project GDIN, the Spanish Civil Guard, the Costa Rican Drug Control Police, and the Portuguese Judicial Police, with the collaboration of EUROPOL, carried out Operation "PURGA-CALIPSO GUANACASTE," arresting 37 people and seizing a total of 5,408 kilos of cocaine. Thanks to these arrests, the criminal organization that shipped cocaine from Costa Rica to Europe hidden in containers of fruit has been dismantled.

The investigation began following several arrests in both South American and European ports, which led to the identification of a criminal organization that shipped large quantities of cocaine hidden in maritime containers whose declared cargo was fruit. To this end, the criminal organization used various ports to smuggle the drugs into Europe, such as Leixoes (PT), Antwerp (BG), Rotterdam (NL), and the port of Hamburg (DE).

Similarly, those responsible for the shipments tried to avoid customs controls by concealing the drugs in various ways, such as in cardboard boxes, pallets, or shipments of frozen cassava pulp, and even by simulating pieces of vegetables by inserting the substance inside.

During the investigation, a total of 26 seizures of cocaine hydrochloride were made, totaling 5,408 kg. Of these, 5 were seized in Belgium with a total of 840 kg of cocaine, 5 in Portugal with a total of 731 kg of cocaine, 4 in the Netherlands with a total of 733 kg of cocaine, 2 in Germany with 60 kg seized, 4 occurred in Spain with a total of 1,141 kg of drugs, and 7 seizures in Costa Rica with a total of 1,891 kg of cocaine. In addition to the drug seizures, 37 people were arrested: 7 in Portugal, 5 in Germany, 13 in Spain, and 12 in Costa Rica. Two of the individuals arrested are considered high-value targets by Europol, one of whom was arrested in Spain and the other in Costa Rica.

Thanks to the analysis of the first seizures carried out by the GDIN project's Criminal Anti-Drug Intelligence Center (CICA), it was determined that the perpetrators of all of them were a single criminal group operating in both the Americas and Europe. This allowed for the full identification of the organization's members, both those based in Spain and Costa Rica, who used a seemingly legitimate business structure dedicated to the importation of legal products.

Throughout the investigation, and due to the use of different European ports for the introduction of drugs into Europe, EUROPOL collaborated through the OTF MERCURY (Operational Task Force), which allowed for a fluid exchange of information and a greater capacity to analyze the information obtained within its scope of jurisdiction.

Thanks to the information provided by the Drug Control Police through the GDIN project to the Technical Unit of the Judicial Police (UTPJ), and after analyzing it, the Central Operational Unit began operational activity on the members of the organization, who had traveled to Spain to receive a shipment of cocaine. This, combined with the investigative activity of the Portuguese Judicial Police, led to the detection and confirmation of the shipment of a suspicious container from Costa Rica with its final destination being the port of Seville. This container was seized, and 350 kg of cocaine hydrochloride was found inside.

Among those arrested were those responsible for giving the shipment a legal appearance, as well as those in charge of transportation and distribution. All were remanded in custody, thus dismantling the part of the criminal organization operating in Spain.

This investigation was led by Central Investigative Court No. 6 of the National Court and the Special Anti-Drug Prosecutor's Office. It was carried out by the Central Operational Unit of the Spanish Civil Guard, specifically its Anti-Drug Department, in conjunction with the Portuguese Judicial Police. It also had the support of the UTPJ (National Police Unit), the Regional Center for Analysis and Intelligence against Drug Trafficking of Andalusia (CRAIN), the Judicial Police Zone Unit of Catalonia, and the Civil Guard Commands in Madrid, Seville, and Cordoba.