Crime in Costa Rica

@snoutoz

C.R. is not a place where much violent crime flourishes.

Most of it is petty crime (pickpocketing, smash-and-grab thefts of cameras, phones, and wallets in autos).

Places like the MERCADO CENTRAL in the capital and the COCA COLA bus station are hotbeds of crime.

So, too, are neighborhoods like PAVAS (ironically, the home of the US Embassy) and some other communities.

GOOGLE "CRIME," "COSTA RICA," and the name of your prospective CANTON or PROVINCE and see what comes up.

Normal street-wise precautions should always be taken, e.g., never wear flashy jewelry or a pricey watch; keep your bag or backpack slung over the shoulder opposite the curb; do NOT make yourself a target of opportunity.

Most residences have barred windows, ribbon wire (concertina barbed wire), dogs, and are gated and locked.

Carry minimal cash.

Make sure you have back-up passwords and account numbers for your credit/debit cards.

Understand that DELIVERY of replacement cards by UPS or FedEx will be difficult or impossible (the local mail service is worse, in my experience... I have not gotten a piece of accurately addressed first-class USPS mail in years).

Avoid strangers, such as pan-handlers, lottery ticket or junky item vendors, and do not stop to open your wallet in public.

Look for ATMs/Cajas electeronicas within banks or behind closed doors, if possible, and immediately put your cash and debit card away in a secure location, protected from local "dips" (pickpockets).

Keep a photo of your passport on your smart phone, and do NOT travel around with it in hard copy on your person.

Be aware while driving that diversions (faked accidents; felled trees; "damsels-in-distress" can be a distraction aimed to place a pedestrian or a driver in a vulnerable position.

The police in parts of C.R. may be corrupt and hail drivers to the curb for PAYOLA.

The bottom line: If one were to use his or her head and employ "street smarts," he or she would be no more vulnerable to serious or petty street crime than anywhere else.

Travel clothing companies make excellent cargo pants with zippers and Velcro to attempt to thwart would-be villains, thieves, and scoundrels.

Anecdotally: Do not resist, as the STEP advisories of the US embassy/DoS advise. Thugs on motorcycles have broken noses and caused facial damage resulting in hospitalization to steal cell phones, watches, and wallets.

In a worst-case scenario, expats have been murdered and buried in shallow graves in their backyards (probably by known neighbors or contractors) or their bodies have been found by hikers in ravines. The local English-language daily, TICO TIMES, covers this crime beat.

Travelers, tourists, and temporary residents should employ COMMON SENSE preventive measures and will likely fare as well in C.R. as anywhere else in North America or Europe with an urban population.

Beach communities with parking lots are particularly vulnerable areas to petty theft.

PS-- the TRUMP fixation on sending hellfire missiles into drug-courier submarines and cigarette boats has turned PUERTO LIMON on the Pacific Coast into a major export port-of-departure for cocaine and other drugs no longer emanating from Venezuela or Colombia's maritime ports. Consequently, gangs such as Tren de Aguada have infested the city; engaged in shooting wars with rival drug gangs; and spiked the murder rate. This cesspool of rampant violence should be avoided at all costs.

@Gerald Twomelii

Pretty much like anywhere outside Antarctica, there is crime in some parts of Costa Rica and little or none in others. We have lived outside Grecia for twenty-one years. We have no gate, no fences, no bars on our windows and doors, no cameras or alarm systems, and the single wussiest Belgian malinois you're ever likely to encounter. So far, we've never had a problem.

If I wanted to live behind all those security barriers, I'd return to the U.S. and commit a felony. Free housing, free meals . . . What's not to like?

Above, someone remarked on the unreliability of crime statistics. That's true here as it is in the U.S., Canada, and everywhere else.

@Gerald Twomey..****

@daveandmarcia

It pleased me to learn that the poster lives in a safe and secure neighborhood. (as do I).

My TiCO neighborhood is every bit as safe as my hometown, where I grew up decades ago.

Today, people who reside in my idyllic suburban USA village typically sport ring-tone doorbells, lock their doors and windows, and install alarm systems and surveillance cameras on their property.

Those who leave their attached garage doors unlocked have found their cars stolen and their homes penetrated by opportunistic criminals, often stealing-to-order for "chop-shops" and mob-run junkyards.

Every house on my block in my cantón in C.R.m, including my residence, is gated,  ringed with fences and barbed wire, and features between one and five watch dogs.

You are blessed to have lived safely for years in GRECIAIA.

So were the elderly German couple who resided in C.R. for many years, who were found dead with their bodies dumped in a shallow grave in their backyard.

Those who ignore the rising crime waves in Costa Rica do so at their own peril.

Drug-related crime and gang-related murders have spiked in various urban areas.

High-level corruption of various governmental agencies is being addressed and rooted out gradually, but steadily.

Anecdotally, people in video blogs indicated that they left after many years when robbed eight times; or, who felt violated when their home was robbed, their safe "cracked," and their money, documents, and irreplaceable sentimental jewelry ("costume" jewelry, but with a prime emotional attachment) were stolen while out for a few hours at a restaurant on a Sunday afternoon.

People who lull themselves into a false sense of security may fall prey to playing "Russian roulette" with their property, livelihood, health, and safety.

Much of the recent rise in crime in C.R.  is drug-related.

Some of it is perpetrated by desperate migrants turned around at the US border who expended their life's savings on coyotes to "facilitate" their passage, often resulting in murder, rape, robbery, forced prostitution, and the human trafficking of minors as sex slaves or to work in factories or meat packing factories in the USA.

No one is immune to the effects of crime in any locality.

Everyone should take prudent precautions, and NOT be lulled into a false sense of security.

Many people in Costa Rica are desperate financially,  and the possibility of intruders or thieves who will seek cash, jewelry, or other valuables CANNOT be downplayed or discounted.

In Costa Rica, street crime, smash-and-grabs, and break-ins are NOT uncommon.

One cannot live in an impregnable fortress, but one cannot afford COMPLACENCY, either.

The number of missing children stands in the SIX FIGURES in the United States.

Prostitution is functionally legal in C.R., and red light districts with trafficked women and teen girls flourish in San José.

Prostitution breeds other crimes.

People cannot walk in parks at night in urban areas, and pickpockets and other thieves flourish in central markets and curbside.

Costa Rica has become a nexus of this human trafficking industry.

Readers of this blog can ignore these facts.

Or become educated about them.

I present a representative, curated collection.

Some may need to let the scales fall from their eyes.

For those who choose wisely, Costa Rica can be a wonderful place for tourism or expat rellocation/retiremetnt.

It is NOT the panacea of even a decade ago.

LET THE BUYER BEWARE (all of these items appeared recently on TICO TIMES (the English-language daily published in CR since 1957, and in recent years, only available online.

Some recent local news:

https://ticotimes.net/2026/07/18/costa- … world-2026

https://ticotimes.net/2026/07/16/dollar … a-rica-450

https://ticotimes.net/2026/07/25/costa- … lo-arrests

Highlight, cut-and-paste, and place these URL links in your browser.

Become educated on the applicable provisos and make an informed decision about relocation.

I love living in C.R. and have never suffered a negative incident.

But, I take necessary precautions and strive to acoid uncompromising situations.

ONE will never regret taking prudent precautions to prevent or limit the likelihood of being a victim of petty or violent crime in Costa Rica.

Native Ticos wisely take these self-same precautions, and urge their neighbors and tenants to do likewise.

Interestingly, if you drive up our side of the Poas volcano from Grecia, you'll find that road totally bounded by homes. Costa Rican people seem to like to live close to the street.

If you look closely, you'll find that there are houses with walls topped with electrified razor wire or broken glass, houses with fences of various designs, houses with roadside fences, houses with barred windows and doors, and houses (frequently next door) with none of those. Of interest is that they all appear to be vandalized at about the same rate (rarely). It is said that dedicated burglars will link a chain to security bars and to their own vehicle and simply pull the bars off the walls.

As with so many things, it's impossible to identify or quantify something that didn't happen.

@daveandmarcia

Surveillance cameras, safes with their doors blown off by shotguns or cut through with blowtorches, and scattered personal items left as the detritus of break-ins and robberies all attest to things that ACTUALLY happened and happen on an everyday basis in C.R.

In the USA, convenience stores and gas stations that feature bars and roll-back steel doors sometimes still have pick-ups smash through anddrag away ATMs with chains.

The same fate sometimes affects liquor stores/package stores.

Thefts both in the USA and in CR,, sjmash0and-grags of cars and homes happen at an alarming rate, and are often captured on surveillance camera videos.

Criminalists find much direct evidence on the sites, including DNA evidence from strands of hair, fingerprints, footprints, and tire tread marks.

Anecdotally, in a former hometown of mine in the USA, the thieves who broke in, blew open a safe, and stole cash, jewelry, and long rifles became caught when one left a high-end bottle of beer with his fingerprints on it (he had a record) on top of the refrigerator.

To offer the readership of this site a laissez-faire view of street crimes of opportunity in Costa Rica is at best, detached, if not irresponsible.

This attitude should be taken with a grain of salt.

Some nce said: "The reason why we lock our cars is to keep the 85% of the people who are honest, honest."

Why provide an incentive for thieves, some of whom have killed expats and buried their victimes  in shallow graves in their backyards to avoid prosecution?

One foolishly denies these facts, all documentable in Tico media.

Let the buyer beware.

The recent murder of an American woman in Cabo Velas/Playa Grande shows the inside jobs done by the house cats, better known as the employee...This has become constant now, mainly on foreign women living alone here..

@edwinemora

Just how "constant" is it? Please share the statistics.

@edwinemora

As they say in the USA, "Wake up and smell the coffee."

To pretend that such violent crimes and more petty crimes of opportunity do not occur in Costa Rica is hogwash.

People need to get serious about this material and let the scales fall from their eyes.

Murder of American Woman in Cabo Velas, Playa Grande

A 75‑year‑old U.S. citizen, Caroline Heaviland, was found dead inside her walled home in Cabo Velas, Santa Cruz de Guanacaste, on the morning of August 3, 2026 [Tico Times]. The Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) is treating the case as an apparent homicide and investigating possible links to a robbery at the property [Tico Times].

Circumstances of the Discovery

When a worker arrived at the property around 7 a.m., [he] found Ms. Heaviland lying on the ground at the front of the house. She had blunt‑force head injuries and was covered with a towel (e.g., she was bludgeoned to death) [[Tico Times]. The residence showed signs of forced entry, suggesting a robbery had occurred. Her vehicle was not on the property at the time but was later found impounded at a police checkpoint in Liberia, where it was linked to a man stopped for reckless driving [Tico Times].

Suspect and Motive

According to local media, the main suspect is a man who worked for Ms. Heaviland La Teja. Reports suggest the killing may have been carried out by someone from her circle of trust, though authorities have not confirmed this La Teja. The OIJ has not yet established a motive [Tico Times].

Victim’s Background

Caroline Heaviland was a licensed acupuncturist with over 40 years of experience in traditional Chinese medicine La Teja. She had been practicing in Costa Rica since 2002 [e.g., for a quarter century!] , offering treatments for pain relief, allergies, immune support, hormonal balance, and digestive health La Teja. She was well‑known in the community and had a private clinic in Playa Grande La Teja.

Current Status

Case type: Apparent [!!??] homicide, possible robbery connection [Tico Times]

Suspect: A man working for the victim in La Teja

Detentions: None reported yet Tico Times

Investigation: OIJ is collecting evidence, examining the possibility of blunt trauma from a stone, and reviewing the vehicle’s connection to the crime [Tico Times]

Autopsy: Scheduled at the Judicial Morgue [Tico Times]

Authorities have warned that Cabo Velas and surrounding areas have seen multiple violent deaths involving foreign nationals in recent years, and the case remains open [Tico Times].

If one buries his or her head and pretends that such things cannot happen or do not happen in Costa Rica, he or she does so at his or her own risk.

Costa Rica is as safe as most other venues, but crime is spiking.

One need only read the papers and watch the evening news.

All prudent precautions should be taken, just as in any urban area in one's country of origin:

German Couple Murdered in Shallow Grave on Their Quepos Property

Authorities in Costa Rica have arrested three people in connection with the killing of Rüdiger Schickhaus, a 60-year-old German, and his 57-year-old Austrian wife Manuela Daxer, whose bodies were found buried in a shallow grave on their property in Quepos, Puntarenas province [Tico Times].

Background

The couple had lived on a 50,000-square-meter estate in Cerros de Quepos for three years, buying it with savings after selling assets back home. The property, complete with a remodeled home, natural pool, and lush grounds, was valued at about 500 million colones (roughly $1M USD) [Tico Times].

The Crime

Investigators say the murders were linked to a land-for-sale scheme. The suspects, two Costa Rican men and a Colombian woman, approached the couple with an offer to buy the property, signing an option but failing to make the required deposit [Tico Times]. The couple reportedly spent time with the suspects before the attack.

Schickhaus was shot once; Daxer was shot three times. Both were bound and buried in a shallow grave in the backyard. The bodies were discovered in September after an anonymous tip led police to the site. The house was scrubbed clean but still bore bloodstains [Tico Times].

Arrests and Evidence

On October 29, 2025, police raided homes in La Unión de Cartago and Curridabat [hotbeds of Tico criminal activity], arresting:

Elizondo (31, Costa Rican, real estate worker)

Rubio (33, Colombian woman)

Sanabria (25, Costa Rican accomplice) [Tico Times[

Rubio participated in the land-for-sale plot but did not directly commit the killings, according to officials. Police seized phones, documents, and victim-related items as evidence [Tico Times].

Motive and Investigation

Prosecutors allege robbery as the motive, with the suspects aiming to seize the property without paying [Tico Times]. The Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) says the case has shaken the local community and raised concerns about safety for foreigners retiring abroad. OIJ leaders stress that while arrests are progress, the investigation continues and questions remain about whether others were involved [Tico Times]

Impact

The case has drawn attention from Europe, where the couple’s families are grieving. OIJ officials warn that such violent crimes discourage tourism and deter foreigners from moving to Costa Rica [conven.org].

@daveandmarcia...Your denial cripples you this time----big boy.

@daveandmarcia...Your denial cripples you this time----big boy. - @edwinemora

Means what?

Say another sentence.

U.S. Tourists Robbed in Costa Rica — Viral Case Draws Wider Concern

A recent robbery involving two American tourists has become a flashpoint in Costa Rica’s ongoing debate over rising tourist crime, after a TikTok video went viral showing the incident Tico Times.

The Incident

In early March 2025, Anna Manocha and her friend Carolina López traveled to Costa Rica seeking adventure. While on a stop between San José and Quepos, their rental car was broken into at a gas station bathroom. The women were robbed of passports, bank cards, jewelry, and other belongings [Tico Times].

Viral Documentation

Manocha shared her experience on TikTok, describing how the theft happened during a bathroom break. She also documented the steps she and her friend took to report the crime to Costa Rican police and work with U.S. authorities to obtain new travel documents. The videos quickly went viral, with thousands of views and comments from other tourists sharing similar cautionary stories [Tico Times].

Broader Context

The case has reignited concerns among tourism stakeholders about petty crime targeting visitors. Many commenters on the videos reported similar experiences — thefts from rental cars, lost passports, and run-ins with petty crime — suggesting such incidents are not isolated  [Tico Times].

Aftermath

Despite the trauma, both women emphasized that they still appreciated Costa Rica’s natural beauty and friendly locals. They continued their trip, determined not to let the incident define their overall experience [Tico Times].

Tip: Manocha’s follow-up video included safety advice, such as checking that rental car doors are locked before leaving, which has since been widely shared by travelers [Tico Times].

https://travel.state.gov/en/internation … -rica.html

NOTE: take 15 minutes and sign up for the US DoS STEP program:

Exercise increased caution in Costa Rica due to crime.

Advisory summary

Petty crime is common throughout Costa Rica. Violent crime also affects tourists. This includes armed robbery, homicide, and sexual assault.

If you decide to travel to Costa Rica:

Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to get important updates and alerts from the U.S. embassy or consulate. Enrolling helps the U.S. embassy or consulate contact you or your emergency contact in an emergency.

Review our information on Crime Abroad and for Victims of Crime.

Stay aware of your surroundings. Avoid walking alone on poorly lit beaches or streets.

Do not physically resist any robbery attempt.

Do not display signs of wealth, like expensive watches or jewelry.

Review the Country Security Report for Costa Rica.

Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for the latest Travel Health Information for Costa Rica.

Whether you’re a first-time or frequent traveler, use the International Travel Checklist.

We highly recommend that you buy travel insurance before you travel. Check with your travel insurance provider about evacuation assistance, medical insurance, and trip cancellation coverage.

https://ticotimes.net/2026/01/09/costa- … t-incident

< TICO TIMES, January 29, 2026

Police in Guanacaste rescued four American tourists from a violent home invasion in Nuevo Arenal de Tilarán on Thursday evening. The confrontation with armed suspects led to a shootout that left one assailant dead and two others on the run.

The incident unfolded shortly after 6 p.m. in the Lago Cote area, where the tourists—three women and one man—were staying in a short-term rental property. Authorities received a 911 alert from the victims, who noticed suspicious activity and contacted help before the suspects fully overpowered them.

Public Force officers arrived quickly and encountered three masked men attempting the robbery. The suspects fired at the patrol unit, prompting police to return fire. One assailant sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene. The other two escaped into the surrounding mountainous terrain, triggering an ongoing search operation involving specialized units from the Ministry of Security.

https://qcostarica.com/two-men-will-be- … otorcycle/

Two men will be banned from travelling on a motorcycle

The ban is aimed at resolving shootings commited by passengers on motorcycles

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Rico

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Rico

7 March 2025

QCOSTARICA — In “hot zones” of crime, two men will be banned from traveling on a motorcycle together.

By a majority, the members of the Comisión de Seguridad y Narcotráfico (Security and Drug Trafficking Commission) approved the substitute text of file 24,137, which seeks to restrict, at certain times, motorcycle riders from traveling with a male companion.

It is also proposed that the measure be implemented in “hot spots” of crime, rather than throughout the country.

“The motorcycle becomes another element for committing crimes, and the important thing is that the initiative is limited to the red zones where these crimes of contract killing are being committed,” said legislator Horacio Alvarado of the Partido Unidad Social Cristiana (PUSC). However, he questioned the fact that the fine is only ¢20,000, in case of non-compliance.

For legislator Gilberto Campos, the initiative limits freedom of movement and other constitutional guarantees, so it should be further analyzed.

While legislator Alejandra Larios of the National Liberation Party pointed out that the report from the Technical Services of the Legislative Assembly indicates that there are no technical studies that justify these restrictions on the movement of owners and companions.

“It only mentions experiences from other latitudes, but without exposing statistics of success that these countries were able to experience. Conflicts of a constitutional nature, such as private life, are generated,” according to the document. In addition, the freedom of movement of “honest” citizens who require the two-wheeled motorized vehicle to move would be conditioned.

The president of the commission, Gilbert Jiménez, legislator of the National Liberation Party, said that the proposal would allow drivers to present a letter to circulate for work or study reasons.

The proposed ban on two men on a motorcycle is taken from a playbook in Colombia and other countries, where many robberies of people and cell phones and shootings are committed by the pillion rider (Pillion riding is when someone sits behind the driver of a motorcycle, bicycle, or horse).

https://nypost.com/2025/12/02/world-new … roperties/

Security alert for Costa Rica warns of gangs, ‘break-ins and armed robberies’

By Jorge Fitz-Gibbon

Published Dec. 2, 2025

Updated Dec. 2, 2025, 6:31 p.m. ET

A troubling spike in gang-related robberies, break-ins and extortion crimes in Costa Rica has forced the US to declare a tourist travel alert for the Central American country.

The US Embassy in San Jose urged caution for Americans traveling to the popular vacation destination in a Nov. 25 security alert — urging travelers to be more vigilant, spend less time online, and carry less cash and valuables.

“Set daily withdrawal limits for your bank accounts, minimize funds kept in any one account, advise your bank of your travel plans in advance, and consider contacting your bank to discuss any concerns and security strategies,” the alert said.

US travelers are also urged to research their accommodations in advance and to purchase travel insurance before hitting the ground in Costa Rica.

NOTE: Those expats and tourists who IGNORE these provisos DO SO AT THEIR OWN RISK and PERIL.

Do not be FOOLED or DISMAYED by MISLEADING ADVICE that may result in PHYSICAL HARM or WORSE.

Bar fight/street brawl in JACO, with expats assaulted (NOTE the video and accompanying comments"

https://www.reddit.com/r/costarica/comm … osta_rica/

Jacó: Six bar guards mercilessly beat two gringos who were looking for a fight A video that has emerged in the last few hours shows how two American tourists challenged security guards outside a bar in Jacó called Orange Pub.

Editorial PUBLISHED: DECEMBER 22, 2023

A video that has emerged in the last few hours shows how two American tourists challenged security guards outside a bar in Jacó called Orange Pub. The foreigners allegedly threw the guards' motorcycles to the ground, which unleashed their fury and caused a fight on public roads. Even though there were only two foreigners, six security guards showed them no mercy and beat them up. To date, the Public Force authorities do not have any reports of people arrested for this incident.

"Stupid is as stupid does"--Forrest Gump

To pretend that CRIME does not exist and does not impinge upon the health and well-being of expats and tourists represents a dangerous delusion.

@daveandmarcia..It means denial cripples you all the time, with premium consistency..

https://people.com/kurt-van-dyke-killed … n-11907471

Armed Intruders Storm Costa Rica Home

The 66-year-old hotel owner was found beneath a bed after masked men allegedly entered his home in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rican officials said

By Christina Coulter  Published on February 16, 2026 05:13PM EST

NEED TO KNOW

Surfer and hotel owner Kurt Van Dyke, 66, was killed during what authorities believe was a robbery at his home in Costa Rica

The Judicial Investigation Agency alleged at least two armed men entered the residence, bound Van Dyke's girlfriend and stole valuables

Officials said Van Dyke was found beneath a bed with a sheet over his head. No arrests have been announced

Kurt Van Dyke, a 66-year-old California native from a prominent surfing family, was killed in what authorities believe was a robbery at his home in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency, known as the OIJ, received a report Saturday morning about a homicide in Hone Creek, in the Cahuita area of Limón province, according to Costa Rican outlets CRHoy, La Nación, and Teletica, which cited an official preliminary release from the agency.

According to the release, as reported by the three outlets, Van Dyke was inside the residence with his girlfriend when at least two armed men allegedly entered, threatened them with a firearm and held them in a room for several minutes before stealing valuables. Investigators believe the suspects then killed Van Dyke and fled.

The preliminary cause of death was asphyxiation, and his body also showed multiple stab wounds, according to CRHoy, La Nación, and Teletica, citing the OIJ release. The release stated that the body would be sent to the Judicial Morgue for further examination.

A preliminary report from Costa Rica’s Fuerza Pública, cited by CRHoy and La Nación, stated that Van Dyke was found beneath a bed with a sheet over his head and a knife beside him.

Van Dyke’s girlfriend survived the attack and was not seriously injured — she told authorities she had been showering when the suspects entered the home and that she was bound before they fled, according to CRHoy and La Nación. Security footage showed two vehicles leaving the scene, the outlets reported.

No arrests have been announced, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Van Dyke had lived in Costa Rica’s Caribbean region for decades and owned Hotel Puerto Viejo in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. Known among surfers as “King,” he became a respected figure in the local surf community, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

“My brother was a very benevolent, giving person who would help just about anybody,” his brother, Peter Van Dyke, told the Chronicle. “Kurt would never hurt anybody, and he was always there when you needed him.”

Roger Sams, president of the Southern Caribbean Chamber of Tourism and Commerce, told La Nación that the killing could impact the region’s image.

“Evidently this will affect our image,” Sams said, adding that the case appeared to be isolated and unrelated to tourists.

https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2024/10/ … -tourists/

As Costa Rica welcomes record-breaking number of tourists, the country is battling rising crime

by Carly Stoenner

October 18, 2024

In 2023 Costa Rica’s tourism industry attracted 2.5 million visitors, a figure that’s steadily been on the rise due to the country’s welcoming nature and high level of safety. This reputation is now being threatened by a growing cartel presence and an expanding consumer market for illegal drugs.

According to Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation agency (OIJ), there were over 900 homicides in 2023—the most violent year in the country’s history. Officials primarily attributed them to narcotrafficking groups.

SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica — Dense jungles, pristine beaches, towering volcanoes, and a welcoming attitude toward visitors have caused tourists to flock to this peaceful nation for decades, but a wave of crime is now threatening paradise.

In 2023, Costa Rica welcomed 2.7 million visitors, according to the country’s Tourism Institute. Tourism has risen steadily since the end of the COVID pandemic.

The country’s reputation, however, is now being threatened by a rising crime rate due to an influx of illicit drugs and a sharp rise in drug trafficking. Meanwhile, the fight against crime in Costa Rica is stymied by unprecedented migration flows, increased inequality and an understaffed police force.

According to Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation agency (OIJ), there were more than 900 homicides in 2023— marking the most violent year in the country’s history. The murders were primarily attributed to narcotrafficking groups.

Mario Zamora, director of the Ministry of Public Safety, said the homicides are mainly carried out by members of criminal gangs fighting for territory, and typically occur in poor neighborhoods where the drug markets are stronger. He thinks that in the future it could have a disastrous effect on the two main sources of income for the economy: tourism and foreign investment.

“Costa Rica, as you know, is a country that has not had an army since 1949 and has been an extremely peaceful country since then, so there is a great social impact due to the increase in the homicide rate, and last year we had 906 homicides in a population of 5.2 million inhabitants,” Zamora said.

Esteban Rojas, a Costa Rica tour guide with more than 15 years of experience, said tourism is the main economic driver for the country.

“It’s a chain reaction. You have a hotel, but you need curtains, you need tomatoes and lettuce for breakfast. You need screws and cleaning products. Then for the tour buses, you need the tires and the mechanics. Then there’s the people that work in restaurants and cleaning,” Rojas said. “This applies to the big picture because once a location has money from tourism, other businesses emerge that have nothing to do with tourism. For example, all women who decide they now want to get their nails done because they have the money. That’s one of the main differences between tourism and other kinds of industries. It’s very social and stimulates the local economy.”

According to statistics from the Costa Rica Tourism Institute, approximately 163,000 people were directly employed by the tourism industry in 2023, accounting for 7.1% of the labor force. When considering both direct and indirect employment, the figure increases to around 490,000 individuals, or 21.3% of the labor force.

Costa Rica’s drug trade

According to officials at the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica, part of the explanation for the rise in homicides is the increasing consumption of cocaine, particularly in the form of crack, and the competition among cartels to control the local drug market.

The revenue that the local drug trade generates has also become a principal driver of corruption, according to officials at the U.S. Embassy, adding to the country’s challenges.

Randall Zúñiga, director of Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation agency (OIJ), attributes the rise of cocaine in Costa Rica to new technologies that have reduced the cost of production in Colombia.

“Before, in Costa Rica, one kilo of cocaine cost about $7,000. Right now, one kilo costs around $3,500 or $4,000,” Zúñiga said.

Coca crop production in Colombia and other countries has dramatically increased in the post-COVID era, resulting in more and cheaper cocaine, according to a report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

“[D]rug trafficking groups have created alternative markets on route to the United States,” Zamora said. “Costa Rica previously had low cocaine consumption, and today, according to our data, we have more than 100,000 users.”

Corruption is on the rise.

According to the U.S. Embassy, Costa Rica has been the first stop for cocaine from South America on its way to the United States or Europe since 2020. The country now serves as a logistical hub for traffickers.

The drug trafficking groups involved in this trade are Colombia’s Clan de Golfo on the southern end of the country and Mexico’s Sinaloa and Nueva Generation on the northern end. These groups, along with local Costa Rican drug trafficking organizations, work together as partners to move their product.

According to a report from the U.S. State Department, since 2020, “Costa Rica has ranked among the top first-stop transshipment points for cocaine headed from South America to the United States and Europe, leading to increased crime and related corruption.”

Costa Rica’s principal commercial port in the province of Limón, the port of Moín, has been the source of cocaine smuggled to Europe in commercial cargo containers.

In recent years, major drug trafficking organizations began to pay for Costa Rican logistical services in cocaine instead of cash, according to U.S Embassy officials, meaning more product remained in Costa Rica in the control of local drug trafficking organizations that can now market and commercialize the product at home.

The amount of drugs coming into Costa Rica as payments is so large that the country’s local illicit drug market cannot absorb it, said Stephen Brunner, one of Costa Rica’s two vice presidents.

“The gangs fight for these zones where they want to sell their drugs exclusively,” Brunner said. “As long as they [the cartels] were paying with cash, in terms of security, there were no side effects of the drug dealing. But once they started to pay ‘in-kind’ with the drugs, now the only thing we can do is make the country less attractive for exporting drugs to the U.S. and Europe.”

Criminal activity at the community level

Jacó is a popular beach town in Costa Rica due to its proximity to the Central Valley, where the majority of the country’s population lives.

“That makes Jacó an attraction for everything, for good and for bad,” said Leonidas Ruaro, president and founder of Pura Vida Fighting for Kids. The small non-profit organization offers free classes in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, yoga and chess for vulnerable youth in the area.

The district of Jacó de Garabito had the highest rate of reported crimes against foreign tourists from 2021 to 2023, according to official crime data from the OIJ.

“The fact is that this happens in most tourist places in the world — drug addiction, prostitution, criminality, and maybe Jacó is demonized a little bit,” Ruaro said. “But we have had a wave of new types of gangs and organized crime. We’ve had a strong wave of gruesome crime that we’ve never felt in my entire life of living in Jacó. We’ve never had that ugly fear that we’ve had in recent times.”

NOTE the chart at the URL Link that displays "2023 Homicides in Costa Rica by District (Canton)":

Made with Flourish • Create a chart

According to Ruaro, Colombian organizations previously dominated the drug territory in Jacó, a time that he says was less violent because the groups had taken care not to interfere with tourism. But he says there are new groups now, including some from Nicaragua that are financed by Mexican cartels, whose involvement has led to rising levels of violence.

Large waves of Nicaraguan and Venezuelan migrants have fueled the idea that foreigners are bringing drugs and crime to the country. However, according to OIJ’s Zúñiga, official data says only 5% to 10% of crime is committed by foreigners.

A rise in gangs in Costa Rica has multiple causes, including the fact that many young people dropped out of school early due to the pandemic, Zúñiga said.

“There are a lot of youngsters that right now don’t have a formal education, so they have to go to an irregular employer, let’s say, which is criminal organized crime,” Zúñiga said.

Ruaro said that often many of his Jiu-Jitsu students even suffer from violence in their homes, which is why Pura Vida Fighting for Kids tries to provide a safe space for them.

“This type of program is what makes the kids who are a prospect [for gangs] ready to be able to take on the [temptation] of drug addiction, prostitution, selling drugs, and so on, and to look for another type of path, the path of good,” Ruaro said. “The less you are on the street, and have a safe space where you feel loved and listened to, we are already giving them something they don’t have.”

According to the :State of the Nation Report 2023," a research document created by five public universities in Costa Rica, emergency 911 operators recorded 123,000 incidents of domestic violence in 2022, or approximately 15 reports per hour, every day of the year.

The report also said that in 2022, Costa Rica experienced the highest level of inflation in the last 14 years, at 12.1%. The cost of living mainly rose due to a 59% increase in the cost of food and a 17% increase in the cost of transportation.

According to the Report, low-income households earned approximately $430 per month. Families whose incomes came from domestic services, recreational activities, hotels, and restaurants showed negative savings rates, meaning many households are resorting to debt to cover their expenses.

“Sometimes those kids just eat rice and beans, sometimes just rice and egg, and sometimes just rice, do you know what I mean?” Ruaro said. “There is poverty and there is extreme poverty, and extreme poverty is when they don’t even have enough to eat.”

Rojas, the tour guide, said the biggest gangs operate on the Caribbean side of the country. According to the National Institute of Statistics, this area also has some of the country’s highest levels of multidimensional poverty at 24% of the population.

“It’s a part of the country where there is less opportunity for youth. There’s not a lot of industry, so the government, every four years when there’s elections, they talk about the opportunities that they’re going to give to the province of Limón, and in the end two things out of a hundred happen,” Rojas said. “So that’s the thing — because there are fewer opportunities for the kids, they change the books for the guns, right.”

According to the: State of the Nation Report 2023," there were 3.4% fewer people employed in the country in 2023 than in 2019. Rojas said it’s setting off alarm bells in terms of the safety of the country.

“Not so much in the tourism aspect, but in society. People are saying ‘Hey government, what’s going on?’” Rojas said. “We have been living in the land of Pura Vida, and right now it feels stressful. So what’s going on?’”

Costa Rican government responds

According to Zúñiga, a decrease in public spending to reduce Costa Rica’s foreign debt and a lack of police officers has exacerbated the problem.

He said there should be about 4.2 police officers for every 100,000 people, leaving Costa Rica behind by about 5,000 officers.

Zúñiga said the government is in the process of passing new laws in the National Assembly that strengthen penalties against youths in gangs, enforce stricter gun laws and allow the extradition of foreigners found guilty of crimes. He believes this will have an impact in the long term, but falls short of addressing an immediate need for more police officers.

According to Zamora, the budget for the Ministry of Public Security grew by $40 million in 2023, allowing for the addition of 600 officers. In 2024, he said, the ministry created an additional 900 positions, for a total of 1,500 new police officers.

Brunner additional police officers will do little to reduce violent crime in the country.

“That won’t help because they now [kill] in daylight. They do it in front of schools. They do it even 100 meters from the police station,” Brunner said. “Our laws are too soft for this kind of delinquency, and we need to change that. When foreign assassins come, they laugh at us and they say, ‘This system is a paradise.’ What we need to change is the judicial system.”

According to Zamora, the Costa Rican government is putting cargo drug scanners in all of their ports, limiting the ability of criminal organizations to export drugs. Four of the scanners were pledged by the U.S. on March 23, 2024, in addition to $40.5 million to provide increased security assistance, according to embassy officials.

“With that, we are killing the core of the business,” Zamora said. “When a criminal organization doesn’t have that lucrative activity, it goes to another country. We hope this will have an impact on the fight.”

However, according to Brunner, narcotrafficking groups will do almost anything to avoid detection, including smashing the scanners, cutting telecommunications cables, monitoring the movements of coast guard vessels and using dinghies at night to load the containers after scanning. He said the list also includes using submersibles to load cargo underwater.

“Their creativity has no limit,” Brunner said. “They try to do everything you can imagine.”

Ruaro said he agrees with the government’s ‘iron fist’ approach, but that the problem is more complex than that.

“Not even the government of the United States of America has been able to stop this [drug trade]. Imagine a government like ours that doesn’t even have an army,” Ruaro said. “So I think, as they say, ‘kill them with love.’ The most important thing is to have things that go hand in hand — an iron fist, but also hand in hand with love, and where we can provide a lot of spaces like these, to the youth, to all the people.”

He says that teaching martial arts has a different approach, one that instills discipline, respect, friendship and familial bonding.

“We’re more good than bad, and that’s very important, because the more good spaces for our community, the less of those types of bad people,” Ruaro said. “If there’s a dark place where they meet to sell crack, and that place is beautified and the lights turned on, the bad people leave.”

Crime threatens Costa Rica’s reputation

Costa Rica has experienced a boom in tourism in the last decade, directly related to the image of the country. Rojas said the country’s main attraction includes the relaxed atmosphere and friendliness towards foreigners.

“The ‘Pura Vida’ style works well in moments when life is stressful and complicated. When they [foreigners] come here, they feel a relief,” Rojas said. “Even though it’s not exactly like that, right? It’s also a clichè — especially lately.”

In addition, the government’s protection of nearly a third of the country’s natural resources sends a positive message to tourists.

“It’s a brand. Costa Rica is like a Louis Vuitton bag, right? You think of Costa Rica, and immediately you think of ecotourism, green, the Pura Vida, right?” Rojas said. “It’s a time when sustainability, ecology, and organic is a brand that attracts a lot of people.”

Rojas identified other factors that add to the country’s positive image: It has no army; the political system is democratic and stable; it has a stable economy; and the social fabric is strong.

“People that come over here, they know that they’re not going to be trapped by a war or by riots on the streets. People come here knowing, thinking, believing that everything is going to be nice,” Rojas said. “The word of mouth is out there, right? It’s what has attracted the most — people come, they have great times, they go back, and then the people ask them, ‘So, is it dangerous? Is it bad?’ ‘No, it’s Pura Vida, it’s beautiful.’”

According to long-time tour guide Esteban Rojas, the tourism boom is due to a friendliness towards foreigners, as well the fact that almost a third of the country is protected by national parks.

Foreign tourists participate in a surf lesson in Marina Ballena National Park, in Uvita, Costa Rica, on March 6, 2024. According to long-time tour guide Esteban Rojas, the tourism boom is due to a friendliness towards foreigners, as well the fact that almost a third of the country is protected by national parks.

The highest rates of crime against foreigners in 2023, according to the OIJ, were reported in the coastal communities of Jacó de Garavito (279), Cahuita de Talamanca (194), Quepos de Quepos (151) and Bahia Ballena de Osa (120).

https://cr.usembassy.gov/victims-of-crime/

If you become a victim of crime:

Report the crime to the OIJ* police, and if you need victim’s assistance, report to the American Citizens Services Section of the U.S. Embassy at 2519-2590 (from the U.S.: 011-506-2519-2590), or by email to: acssanjose@state.gov. If your U.S. passport is stolen, please call 2519-2000 Monday-Friday 8am to 4:30pm to report and replace it. This allows the Embassy to make the necessary notifications that may help catch criminals, including terrorists, who try to buy or use the passport.

*In Costa Rica, there are several kinds of police. Those in uniform are La Fuerza Pública. Their role is crime prevention. OIJ, plainclothes police, are in charge of investigations. We recommend that you file a police report with the OIJ police, as they are the only agency that can take reports and investigate crimes.

https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-sa … a3c2dc58b8

6 people, including 1 American, slain at ranch in Costa Rica

Published 7:42 PM EDT, October 18, 2021

NOTE: Costa Rica remains a great place with wonderful people, its greatest national asset. PRETENDING that CRIME does NOT EXIST or is RARE is FOLLY. In light of the date, be aware that these crimes of opportunity are HARDLY A NEW PHENOMENON:

Published 7:42 PM EDT, October 18, 2021

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) — Six people, including a U.S. man, were killed in what may have been a robbery at the American’s ranch in Costa Rica, the national detectives’ agency said Monday.

The agency identified the American as Steve Sandusky, but did not offer a U.S. hometown for him.

It said Sandusky was a resident of Costa Rica and owned the ranch in Puntarenas province south of San Jose, the capital. The ranch is about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) from the nearest public road.

The other five victims are believed to be Costa Rican nationals who Sandusky had asked to come to the ranch to repair agricultural machinery, authorities said. Their families lost contact with them Sunday and went to the ranch to look for them.

The dead include a man, his wife and their 20-year-old son. The bodies of Sandusky and one other victim had been burned; a third had been doused in fuel but not burned. All appeared to have been shot.

Authorities said they are still investigating the killings, but that robbery appears to be a possible motive because Sandusky’s home was ransacked and a window was broken.

The U.S. Embassy said it could not comment on the case because of privacy concerns.

The brutality of the killings shocked Costa Rica, the most peaceful nation in Central America, with a homicide rate of about 11 killings per 100,000 people annually.

https://ticotimes.net/2025/08/18/costa- … -criticism

Costa Rica’s Tourism Sector Alarmed Over Rising Violence and U.S. Criticism

By Tico Times

August 18, 2025

Tourism leaders in Costa Rica are warning that rising crime and international criticism could damage the country’s reputation as one of Latin America’s safest travel destinations, deepening an already growing crisis for the industry.

The National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR) said visitor numbers have dropped significantly, leaving many businesses on the brink of collapse. Hoteliers and tour operators fear the situation could worsen following comments from U.S. President Donald Trump, who recently cited San José as one of the “worst” Latin American capitals for insecurity.

Shirley Calvo, CANATUR’s executive director, said the business community has repeatedly raised concerns about violence, especially in areas heavily reliant on tourism. She argued that the only way to prevent Costa Rica from appearing in negative international rankings is to regain control of public safety. Calvo emphasized her confidence in the national police, who she said are making an effort with limited resources, but urged authorities to provide more funding, equipment, and personnel to restore security for both residents and visitors.

According to Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), the country had registered 502 homicides as of July 28. Authorities project between 850 and 900 murders by the end of 2025—slightly below the record 907 killings in 2023, but comparable to 2024. Despite the grim outlook, business leaders argue the government has been slow to respond.

Costa Rica’s security minister pushed back against criticism of Trump’s remarks, saying they had been taken out of context. He explained that the U.S. president was highlighting Washington, D.C.’s crime rate during a press conference announcing new security measures, including deploying the Virginia National Guard.

The minister noted that San José records three times fewer homicides than Washington, D.C., and stressed that Trump mentioned Costa Rica, Panama, and Bogotá only to argue that the U.S. capital has higher levels of violence than several Latin American cities.

President Rodrigo Chaves acknowledged Costa Rica’s serious homicide problem, but insisted his administration has done everything legally possible to address it. For tourism operators, however, assurances may not be enough. With crime rising and international headlines questioning safety, many fear the country’s biggest economic engine is now under serious threat.

BOTTOM LINE: BE INFORMED. Take ALL PRUDENT PRECAUTIONS. AVOID compromising situations.

Make the best of "PURA VIDA."