Costa Rican authorities discover hidden compartment in van and seize more than USD 484,000 in smuggled cigarettes

Police officers found 2,200,000 cigarettes hidden inside a compartment built into the walls of the container. Credit: MSP A thorough inspection of a van allowed Border Police officers to discover one of the largest shipments of allegedly smuggled cigarettes confiscated this year in the Southern Zone of Costa Rica. The operation was carried out on Sunday night at Kilometer 35, in the Guaycará district of Golfito, when agents checked a trailer coming from Paso Canoas, at the border with Panama. At first glance, the container appeared to be empty. However, the police decided to carefully examine the walls of the structure and found a hidden compartment where 220 boxes containing approximately 2,200,000 cigarettes were stored. According to authorities, the shipment would have entered the country outside of tax and health regulations, and its estimated market value could exceed 220 million colones (USD 440,000). The way the product was hidden drew the attention of investigators, as those responsible had apparently set up a kind of double wall inside the container to try to evade police controls. The discovery was part of operations carried out by Border Police to combat cross-border crimes, including the illegal entry and transportation of goods. According to the institution, this is the largest cigarette seizure made by Border Police in the southern part of the country in 2026. The trailer had left Paso Canoas, one of the main border points between Costa Rica and Panama, and was heading inland. Officers conducted a detailed inspection of the vehicle at Kilometer 35 due to control measures maintained on the main routes used for transporting goods. Although initially the container showed no obvious signs of carrying products, the wall inspection revealed irregularities in its structure. The procedure prevented the merchandise from continuing its journey and being distributed in the national market. Authorities indicated that the shipment was handed over to the Tax Control Police, the agency responsible for continuing the proceedings in such cases. The investigation will determine who is behind the transportation of the goods, their destination, and the circumstances under which the cigarettes entered Costa Rican territory. The cigarette shipment was distributed in 220 boxes and its value in the national market could exceed 220 million colones. Credit: MSP The anti-smuggling operation was not limited to the cigarette shipment. During the early hours of Sunday, Border Police officers intercepted four vehicles at the same checkpoint at Kilometer 35. The cars also came from the southern border and were transporting a total of 5,337 units of various types of liquor. According to authorities, the alcoholic beverages did not have the proper tax payments or sanitary registrations for sale in Costa Rica. The estimated value of this second shipment is approximately 9.9 million colones (USD 25,000). As with the cigarettes, the products were confiscated and placed under the custody of the Tax Control Police, following the established procedures for goods entering or being transported illegally. In total, across both procedures, authorities confiscated goods with an estimated value exceeding 229 million colones. Most of this pertains to the cigarette shipment found inside the trailer’s container. Four vehicles were intercepted with 5,337 units of liquor transported without proper tax payments or sanitary registrations. Credit: MSP The use of hidden compartments to transport goods resembles strategies employed by organizations involved in illegal trafficking to evade police controls. In this case, those responsible apparently exploited the container’s structure to create a space that allowed hiding the cigarette boxes and keeping them out of sight during road checks. However, the inspection carried out by agents revealed the modification in the walls and located the merchandise. For authorities, such controls are essential because smuggling not only causes economic damage through unpaid taxes but can also involve products that do not meet the required health regulations for sale. The illegal entry of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products also affects formal marketing channels and can lead to losses for the State in terms of taxes. The confiscated cigarettes and alcoholic beverages are now under the custody of the Tax Control Police. Credit: MSP Operations in the Southern Zone are part of the ongoing efforts by Border Police to monitor the movement of goods in border areas and main routes used for their transport. The products remain under the control of the relevant authorities while administrative procedures and investigations continue to determine responsibilities.