Costa Rica appears among the main maritime and aerial routes for cocaine trafficking between South and North America, according to the World Drug Report 2025 published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The maps included in the report, based on data from 2023 and 2024, highlight major cocaine transit routes in the Americas. Most Central American countries, including Costa Rica, are part of these corridors. In the Pacific, Costa Rica lies along a major route used to transport cocaine from Ecuador. On the Caribbean side, drug flows are mainly tied to shipments from Colombia.
The report also points to an aerial trafficking component, with routes connecting Costa Rica and Nicaragua. In addition, it shows links between Costa Rican territory and cocaine shipments headed to Europe by sea.
Cocaine remains the illicit drug with the highest market growth worldwide. The UNODC noted that global cocaine production soared to 3,708 tons in 2023, a 34% increase compared to 2022. Seizures reached a record 2,275 tons, up 68% from the 2019-2023 period. Meanwhile, consumption has grown from 17 million users in 2013 to 25 million in 2023.
Following a temporary slowdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, the global cocaine market has resumed its upward trend. Both production and demand are on the rise, with Europe experiencing a particular surge in problematic use and demand for treatment since 2015.
The Costa Rican Drug Institute (ICD) acknowledged the country’s inclusion in the report and stated that authorities are working tirelessly to address the problem. They also pointed towards new reforms, such as the constitutional ammendment to allow extraditions, which aims to curb this issue.
Security experts and regional analysts agree that Costa Rica’s strategic geographic position places it on the radar of international drug trafficking networks. The impact is reflected in significant seizures by Costa Rican authorities and the country’s ongoing efforts in interdiction, surveillance, and cross-border cooperation.
The UNODC report underscores the growing complexity of drug trafficking in the Americas, with criminal organizations expanding their reach across land, sea, and air routes. For countries like Costa Rica, located at a hemispheric crossroads, the challenges of combating organized crime and protecting national and regional security continue to intensify.
