Costa Rican prosecutors are investigating the mayor of Santa Cruz, his son and seven others over suspected irregularities involving beachfront hotel construction permits and coastal land concessions in Guanacaste.

US Surveillance Plane Helps Costa Rica Seize 1.5 Tons of Cocaine Off Osa

The Tico Times - October 20, 2026

A US surveillance aircraft helped Costa Rican authorities track a speedboat carrying about 1.5 metric tons (roughly 3,300 pounds) of cocaine off the Osa...

Main Suspect in Playas del Coco Killing of American Still at Large Three Weeks Later

The Tico Times - October 20, 2026

The main suspect in the killing of American Marc Walter Fleming in Playas del Coco remains at large more than three weeks after his...

Planned US Embassy Visit Leads to Arrest of Man Wanted in Georgia

The Tico Times - October 20, 2026

A man wanted in Georgia was detained in Costa Rica after US authorities flagged a planned visit to the US Embassy.

Cocaine Seizures in Costa Rica Jump Nearly 50% in 2026

The Tico Times - October 19, 2026

Costa Rican authorities seized more than 40 metric tons of cocaine during the first eight months of 2026, a nearly 50% increase over the...

Costa Rica Hands Four Suspects to US in Three Days as US Embassy Praises New Prison

The Tico Times - October 18, 2026

Costa Rica extradited four suspects to the US in three days as the US Embassy praised its new maximum-security prison.

Costa Rica and El Salvador Sign New Agreement to Fight Organized Crime

The Tico Times - October 17, 2026

Costa Rica and El Salvador have signed a new security agreement aimed at strengthening cooperation against organized crime, as President Laura Fernández moves to...

Costa Rica President Tours CECOT Mega-Prison in El Salvador

The Tico Times - October 16, 2026

Costa Rican President Laura Fernández toured El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) today, two days after opening a maximum-security prison in Alajuela modeled on...

Police Name 22-Year-Old Suspect in Playas del Coco Killing of American

The Tico Times - October 16, 2026

Costa Rican judicial police released a photo today of the main suspect in the killing of an American man in Playas del Coco and...

Police Detain Woman in Raids Over Playas del Coco Killing of American

The Tico Times - October 16, 2026

Costa Rican judicial police detained a woman early this morning in raids in Desamparados, just south of San José. The search continues for the...

Costa Rica Prison Faces Court Challenge Before Inmate Transfers Begin

The Tico Times - October 16, 2026

A prisoners’ rights group has asked Costa Rica’s Constitutional Court to stop inmate transfers to the newly inaugurated CACCO prison, saying concerns about heat,...