Costa Rica travel advisories

Hurricane season warning (North, Central and South America)

May 30, 2025, midnight wide area information

●Hurricane season in North America (Pacific and Atlantic coastal regions and southern regions) and Central and South America (Caribbean and Pacific coastal regions) usually runs from June to November. Please pay close attention to weather information on a daily basis and take precautions in advance, such as stockpiling disaster prevention supplies, drinking water, and food.

Rabies Alert (Updated)

May 21, 2025, midnight Wide area information (infectious diseases)

Updated information on rabies.
Although there are no unusual circumstances such as an increase in the number of cases, rabies is still occurring around the world, mainly in Asia and Africa, so please continue to be vigilant.

[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.).

Security Information [June]

July 17, 2025, 7:45 a.m.

● San Jose Prefecture: "70 kilos of cocaine seized" (drug-related case)
On the afternoon of June 1, two Colombians and one Venezuelan were arrested in a joint operation by the Civil Guard and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) near Paseo Colon in San Jose City. 70 kilograms of cocaine and two handguns were found in the seized vehicle.

"Used car dealership owner shot dead" (murder case)
At 3:30 pm on June 2nd, the owner of a used car dealership in San Rafael, Desamparados, was shot and killed by two men on a motorcycle. The two perpetrators fled, and the police pursued them, but they managed to escape.

"Man shot dead in San Jose" (murder case)
At 8:00 p.m. on June 6th, a man walking down the street in La Carpio, San Jose, was shot and killed by several gunmen.

"Large amounts of guns and drugs seized" (drug-related case)
On June 11th, two members of a drug cartel under investigation by the Judicial Police (OIJ) were arrested near San Jose's Peace Park while driving a car with 250 packets of marijuana, and the marijuana was seized. In addition, a weapons cache owned by the cartel was discovered in Guasima, Alajuela, and a large amount of weapons were found inside. It is said that this is the first time that such a large amount of guns has been seized. In addition, 253 packets of cocaine and 755 packets of marijuana were found in the weapons cache.

"31-year-old man shot dead" (murder case)
At 11:15 p.m. on June 11, a 31-year-old homeless man was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in Centro de San Jose.

"Pink cocaine trafficking group arrested" (drug-related case)
On June 24, five raids were carried out in the cities of Desamparados, Tivas, and Zapote in San José, uncovering a group trafficking in a synthetic drug called pink cocaine. The drug was made by mixing ketamine, MDMA, cocaine with flavorings and colorings, and was being sold for between 10,000 and 15,000 colones.

"Man stabbed to death in park" (murder case)
At 4:15 p.m. on June 29th, a fight broke out between two men in a park in San Isidro, Pere Celedon, when a 52-year-old man stabbed his opponent, killing him.

Limon Province: "A minor was stabbed during a fight" (assault case)
On the night of June 6th, in the city of Pocosí, two 17-year-old boys got into an argument that escalated into a fistfight. An adult woman stepped in to mediate, but one of the boys pulled out a knife and stabbed the other in the chest, leaving the victim in critical condition.

"Three tons of cocaine discovered inside a container" (drug-related case)
On the afternoon of June 9th, more than three tons of cocaine were discovered in two containers at the APM Terminal in the city of Limon, which were also packed with fruit and vegetables and were destined for Belgium.

"Crackdown on a cocaine smuggling group" (drug-related case)
On June 11th, raids were conducted in 20 locations nationwide, and 12 members of two organizations that were smuggling cocaine by hiding it in containers to be sent to Europe were arrested. This was a joint investigation with Europol, Spain, Portugal, and the UK police, and 25 people were arrested in Europe. The organization was attempting to smuggle about 5,400 kilograms of cocaine, but the drugs were seized six times in Costa Rica and 19 times in Europe.

"33 kilograms of cocaine discovered inside container" (drug-related case)
On June 21, 33 kilograms of cocaine were discovered and seized in a container destined for Belgium at the port of Moine in the city of Limon.

"19-year-old man shot dead" (murder case)
On the night of June 30th, a 19-year-old man was shot and killed by multiple assailants in the city of Limon. The victim was a Costa Rican U-20 soccer player.

Puntarenas Province: 18-year-old man shot dead (murder case)
On June 5th at 11:45pm, an 18-year-old man was shot and killed by two men on a motorcycle while returning home in Barranca, Puntarenas. The victim had been arrested four times last year on charges of drug possession, domestic violence, etc.

"Masked robber at Golfito residence" (robbery)
On June 5, the border police on patrol discovered a boat with its engine removed in the river canyon of Sierpe, Osa, and seized a bag of drugs from a shed nearby. The bag contained about 1.2 tons of drugs, but the names of the arrestees and the types of drugs have not been made public.

"30-year-old man shot dead" (murder case)
On the morning of June 9th, a 30-year-old man was shot and killed in Barranca, Puntarenas. The victim was talking to his girlfriend in front of her house when a masked man approached them, fired shots and fled. The victim was shot at least 15 times.

"Three men shot dead in Quepos" (murder case)
At 3:00 a.m. on June 14, a group of four assailants broke into a house in Quepos, where a 20-year-old man was shot and killed. The group then broke into another house 500 meters away, where a 56-year-old man and a man in their 20s were also shot and killed.

●Carthage Prefecture: 16-year-old male stabbed to death (murder case)
At 9pm on June 1st, a 16-year-old male was stabbed by another male in a square in Turrialba and died the following morning. The two men were known to each other.

"25-year-old man shot dead" (murder case)
The body of a 25-year-old man was discovered in a house in Concepcion, La Union City at midnight on June 8. It is believed that the assailant broke into the victim's house and shot him to death.

Guanacaste: 34-year-old Nicaraguan man shot dead (murder case)
At 7:12 pm on June 4th, a 34-year-old man and a Nicaraguan man were shot and killed in a house under renovation in La Cruz City. A motorcycle believed to have been abandoned by the perpetrator was found burning near the scene.

[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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