SAN JOSE - COSTA Rican police arrested a 20-year-old Spanish woman at the country's main airport carrying 17kg of cocaine wrapped up as Christmas presents, the Security Ministry said on Tuesday.

Police found six cocaine packets on the woman in their biggest seizure of the year on a single mule, or drug carrier, at San Jose International airport, a statement said.

The woman, arrested Sunday, arrived in Costa Rica from Madrid on Dec 11 on a tourist visa, it added.

A judge handed her three months preventative detention and she could face up to 20 years in jail for international drug trafficking.

Authorities seized a total of 80kg of cocaine at the same airport terminal in 2008, the ministry said. -- AFP