Costa Rica travel advisories

[Wide Area Information] Warning about international romance scams

April 30, 2025, midnight wide area information

We would like to warn you about international romance scams.

Warning about the smuggling of illegal drugs (marijuana, etc.)

April 30, 2025, midnight wide area information

We would like to warn you about the smuggling of illegal drugs (marijuana, etc.).

Caution regarding measles overseas during the Golden Week holidays

April 25, 2025, midnight Wide area information (infectious diseases)

● Measles outbreaks have been reported overseas.
● If you are planning to travel abroad during the long holiday period, please check the relevant information again.

Alert regarding Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)

April 24, 2025, midnight Wide area information (infectious diseases)

● Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), a severe respiratory infection, has been occurring sporadically in the Middle East.
● When visiting the Middle East, please take sufficient precautions to avoid infection.

Alert regarding measles overseas

March 28, 2025, midnight Wide area information (infectious diseases)

● Measles outbreaks have been reported overseas, and there is a risk of contracting measles at your travel destination.
● If you are traveling abroad, check your vaccination history, and if you do not have a record of having received routine vaccinations, consider getting vaccinated in advance.

[Wide-area information] Notice of consultation desk regarding special fraud cases

Feb. 25, 2025, midnight wide area information

We will issue a "Notice regarding consultation desk for special fraud cases."

Security Information [April]

May 7, 2025, 6:25 a.m.

● San Jose province: "A 28-year-old man and a 60-year-old man shot to death" (murder case)
On the morning of April 7, a 28-year-old man and a 60-year-old man were shot and killed by two men on a motorcycle in Alajuelita City while driving a car. The 28-year-old victim had reportedly posted on social media about a shooting incident that had occurred in the same city on April 5. Police believe the two incidents are related and are continuing their investigation.

"35-year-old man shot dead" (murder case)
On April 9th at 8:30pm, a 35-year-old man was shot and killed by two men in a car in the city of Aceri. The victim was the leader of Los Gemelos, a criminal organization operating in the southern part of San José.

"24 kilos of methamphetamine seized" (drug-related case)
On April 10, 21 kilograms of methamphetamine were seized in Plaza Viques, San José, and three Costa Ricans, one Nicaraguan and one Panamanian were arrested. An additional 3 kilograms of methamphetamine were seized from a house in the city of Goicoechea.

"56-year-old man stabbed to death" (murder case)
At 2:38 pm on April 12th, the body of a 56-year-old male lawyer was discovered in a high-rise apartment in Romosel, San Jose. The victim's neck was slashed with a knife, and there were also signs of bludgeoning on his body. In addition, there was blood splattered in the room, so the investigation is proceeding as a murder case.

"Salvadoran man in illegal residence deported"
On April 14th, a Salvadoran man was walking through San Jose when he saw police and tried to hide. When he was questioned, he was discovered to be a member of the Salvadoran crime organization "Mara Salvatore." As he was staying in the country illegally, he was handed over to the immigration police and is scheduled to be deported to El Salvador.

“Domestic violence man arrested red-handed”
At 8:30pm on April 18th, a woman was caught on security camera at a bar in Desamparados being severely beaten by her boyfriend, and the video was spread on social media, leading to a police investigation. The following day, on the 19th, the two were found to be together at a hotel in Paso Ancho, San Jose. When police arrived at the hotel, the woman was restrained but was rescued, and the man was arrested.

"31-year-old man kidnapped" (kidnapping case)
On April 25th, a 31-year-old man was kidnapped while driving in Leon Cortes. The kidnappers demanded 10 million colones from the victim's family, but on the following day, April 26th, three members of the kidnap group (all Nicaraguan men) were arrested in Aceri and the victim was safely rescued. No ransom was paid.

"47-year-old man shot dead" (murder case)
On April 26th at 7:40pm, a 47-year-old man was shot and killed while walking in Hatillo, San Jose. The victim had a criminal record and is believed to have ties to the Los Lala crime organization.

Limon Province: 100 million colons stolen from National Bank (Theft)
On the morning of April 6th, a group of people dressed in uniforms similar to those of the Costa Rican Electricity Company (ICE) came to the National Bank in Centro, Limon, and stole about 100 million colones of cash stored in a warehouse. We inquired with the bank, but they said that the details of the incident were still under investigation.

"32 kilos of cocaine discovered" (drug-related case)
On April 14, 32 kilograms of cocaine was discovered in a container of fresh produce destined for Belgium at the APM Terminal in the city of Limon.

"37-year-old man shot dead" (murder case)
On April 15th at 12:30pm, a 37-year-old man was shot and killed by two men in a car on the street in Siquiles. The car the perpetrators were in was found abandoned, and upon investigation it was discovered to have been stolen in October of last year.

"24-year-old man shot dead" (murder case)
At 6:10 a.m. on April 20, a 24-year-old man was shot and killed by two men on a motorcycle at a bakery in the city of Limon. A 71-year-old woman who happened to be at the scene was also shot and injured in the leg.

Puntarenas Province: "Minor male shot dead" (murder case)
On April 3rd, in Esparsol, Esparza City, a male minor aged between 13 and 15 was shot and killed multiple times on the street near his home.

"A 38-year-old man and a 31-year-old man were shot to death" (murder case)
At 3 a.m. on April 29, a 38-year-old man and a 31-year-old man were shot and killed in Barranca, Puntarenas. The 38-year-old man reportedly had a drug-related conviction.

Alajuela Department: Man arrested for money laundering
On April 4th, police in the city of San Carlos received a report of a vehicle that had been used in a crime during a roadblock in the city. They stopped the vehicle and searched it, discovering approximately 100 million colones in cash, and the suspect was arrested on suspicion of money laundering.

"3-month-old baby slashed with a knife" (assault case)
On the morning of April 5th, a three-month-old baby was injured in the head by a knife in San Carlos City, after being attacked by the mother's ex-boyfriend. The attacker visited the woman's house and, after an argument, injured the baby.

"48-year-old man shot dead" (murder case)
On April 23, a 48-year-old man suspected to be a member of the Diablo crime gang was shot and killed in La Fortuna, San Carlos. The victim had been arrested together with his son a month earlier but had just been released.

"32-year-old woman, Colombian man killed" (Murder case)
On April 25th, a 32-year-old woman and her Colombian male friend went missing in Orotina, but were found murdered at their home sometime between the 25th and the 26th. A large amount of blood was found in the victim's home, and there were traces of the floor and walls having been peeled away. On the 26th, bones believed to be human bones were discovered in the mountains near the home, and DNA testing is currently underway. The suspect, who is the victim's lover and runs a loan shark business, has a criminal record, and turned himself in on the 30th. A man who conspired with the suspect was also arrested shortly after.

Carthage Prefecture: "31-year-old woman has something like sulfuric acid thrown on her" (assault case)
On the night of April 14th, a 37-year-old Nicaraguan man broke into the home of his 31-year-old ex-girlfriend in Cartago, and after an argument, he threw something like sulfuric acid on the woman, causing serious injuries. The perpetrator had been accused of domestic violence and had a restraining order against the woman.

"A group of robbers stole my belongings, car, etc." (Robbery)
At 10:00 a.m. on April 14th, a man living in a house in Olemano was attacked by five robbers as he was entering his house. They threatened the man with a gun, stole his belongings, a pickup truck, a buggy, and a truck, and fled. One of the cars was equipped with a GPS, so the robbers were able to locate him, and two were arrested.

Heredia Province: 32-year-old man shot dead (murder case)
On April 5th at 7:20pm, a 32-year-old man was shot and killed in San Francisco, Heredia. The victim reportedly had a criminal record for illegal possession of a gun and drug possession.

"12-year-old boy stabbed to death" (murder case)
At 11:20 p.m. on April 12, in Santo Domingo, a 30-year-old man and his girlfriend got into a fight. The woman's son tried to intervene and stop the fight, but was stabbed and killed by the man.

Guanacaste Province: 19-year-old woman found dead (murder case)
On April 5th, a 19-year-old woman was found buried in the ground on a farm in La Cruz. The victim also had burn marks. The victim had been missing since March 23rd. The victim's boyfriend, a 45-year-old Nicaraguan man, was arrested.


[Contact Information]
Embassy of Japan in Costa Rica, Consular Section
Tel: (506)2232-1255 Fax: (506)2231-3140
E-mail: japon-consulado@sj.mofa.go.jp
URL: https://www.cr.emb-japan.go.jp/itprtop_ja/index.html
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