Costa Rica extradited three Mexican nationals to the United States on Friday (October 16) on drug trafficking charges, according to Costa Rican authorities and the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

The three men—identified as Espinoza, Campos, and Vidrio—were arrested in April 2025 after being intercepted at sea with 840 kilograms of cocaine aboard a yacht called “My Lissa Too” off the coast of Puntarenas.

Costa Rica’s Deputy Minister of the Interior Omar Badillo said the men were linked to the Sinaloa cartel and that their arrest resulted from joint operations between Costa Rican police and the DEA.

The three are scheduled to face charges in Wisconsin federal court, where they are accused of conspiracy to transport and introduce cocaine into the United States.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

ALAJUELA, COSTA RICA (OCTOBER 16, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. ARMOURED VEHICLE CARRYING DETAINEES TO BE EXTRADITED ARRIVING AT AIR BASE

2. VARIOUS OF DETAINEES TO BE EXTRADITED GETTING OUT OF ARMOURED VEHICLE

3. HANDCUFFED FEET OF DETAINEE

4. DETAINEE FLANKED BY SECURITY OFFICERS

5. HANDCUFFED FEET OF DETAINEE

6. DETAINEE FLANKED BY SECURITY OFFICERS

7. DEPUTY MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR, OMAR BADILLO, ARRIVING TO SPEAK TO JOURNALISTS

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COSTA RICAN DEPUTY MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR, OMAR BADILLO, SAYING:

"We are carrying out the extradition of three Mexican people who have been linked to the Sinaloa cartel. The arrest of those people is the result of joint work between the PC police, the drug control police, the coast guard and the DEA."

9. DETAINEES BEING TAKEN TO PLACE WHERE THEY WILL BE HANDED OVER TO DEA AGENTS

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COSTA RICAN DEPUTY MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR, OMAR BADILLO, SAYING:

"They were intercepted on the high seas with 840 kilos of cocaine and were travelling on a high-end yacht."

QUEPOS, PUNTARENAS, COSTA RICA (ARCHIVE - APRIL 15, 2025) (MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SECURITY HANDOUT – Access all) (MUTE)

11. VARIOUS OF PACKAGES OF COCAINE FOUND IN COMPARTMENT INSIDE YACHT WHERE THE EXTRADITED SUSPECTS WERE DETAINED

12. SEIZED DRUGS ON PIER