Costa Rica Holds 4 in Drugged Ride Thefts

COSTA RICA · SECURITY

Costa Rican police detained four men on Thursday 29 October 2026 on suspicion of sedating people who left San José bars and robbing them during an unofficial ride home. The Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ), the country’s judicial police, says eight people filed complaints and the loss is about ₡10 million (about US$22,000, converted at the central bank reference selling rate of roughly ₡455 per US dollar on 29 and 30 October).

For US travellers the case matters because a late-night ride from a bar district is a routine part of a night out in the capital, and the State Department already tells visitors to exercise increased caution in Costa Rica because of crime. The four men are suspects, not convicts, and they are now at the disposal of the Public Prosecutor’s Office (Ministerio Público).

What Happened

Agents of the OIJ’s theft section made the arrests on the morning of Thursday 29 October, while prosecutors from the cybercrime unit directed raids on homes in Grecia and Aserrí. The investigation began earlier this year, after complaints about incidents between January and September.

Investigators say the group approached people who had been drinking in the early hours and offered a supposed private ride, with one suspect presenting himself as a ride-platform driver. During the trip the passengers were allegedly given water mixed with drops of clonazepam, then robbed of their phones and bank cards and left on the street.

How the Scheme Worked

Investigators say the group used the victims’ cards to buy goods in shops, withdraw cash and pay for fuel, and they are also examining transfers made through Sinpe. The OIJ says officers seized four mobile phones, two television sets, three bottles of clonazepam and clothing believed to belong to victims.

An OIJ official said one of the areas where the group worked was the bar district of Barrio La California, known locally as La Cali, in San José. He described the method as picking out people who came out looking for transport, sedating them and letting the others take their belongings.

The Numbers Behind the Pattern

OIJ statistics list 40 thefts involving sedatives in 2026 through 22 October, against 33 in all of 2025, a rise of 21.2% on last year’s full total. Customers of commercial premises were the largest victim group with 14 of the 40 cases, ahead of pedestrians with 12.

The tally points to the capital, since 13 of the 14 customer cases were in San José’s central canton and one was in Pérez Zeledón. The OIJ records the use of sedatives as its own method of theft and robbery in its official statistics.

What It Means for You

The State Department’s Costa Rica advisory reads “Exercise increased caution in Costa Rica due to crime”, the second of its four levels. It adds that petty crime is the predominant threat for tourists, while violent crime including armed robbery, homicide and sexual assault also occurs.

Sensible steps are to order rides yourself in the app and match the car and plate before getting in, to refuse any drink a driver offers, and to avoid carrying every card and phone in one bag. Anyone who feels drugged or robbed can call 911, Costa Rica’s national emergency number, and should call the card issuer straight away.

Hotels, hostels and tour operators in San José have a clear reason to steer guests to hotel-arranged or app-booked rides, since the OIJ says one suspect posed as a platform driver. Related coverage includes the arrest of a suspect in a US man’s killing at Playas del Coco, the Costa Rica travel costs guide for US visitors and the Costa Rica news page.

What Is Not Known

The OIJ has not said whether any of the eight victims was a foreign visitor, or whether more victims have come forward since the arrests. Early accounts also differed on the loss, with about ₡6 million (US$13,200) cited at first and about ₡10 million (US$22,000) later.

The OIJ has announced no court decision on pretrial measures for the four men, and the charges are described variously as theft, computer fraud and aggravated robbery. The OIJ has not said whether the group is linked to other cases in its 2026 count of 40.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened in San José on 29 October 2026?

Costa Rica’s OIJ detained four men on Thursday 29 October 2026 on suspicion of sedating people who left bars and robbing them. Eight people filed complaints, and the OIJ says officers seized three bottles of clonazepam.

Is Costa Rica safe for US tourists at night?

The State Department tells travellers to exercise increased caution in Costa Rica because of crime, with petty theft the main threat to tourists. Ordering your own ride and refusing drinks from drivers are sensible precautions.

What is clonazepam?

Clonazepam is a prescription sedative used to control seizures and panic attacks, and it can cause drowsiness. Investigators say the suspects mixed drops of it into water given to passengers.

What should I do if I think my drink was drugged in Costa Rica?

Get to a safe place, call 911 and ask your hotel or the US Embassy in San José for help. Call your bank at once to freeze any cards that were taken.

Sources: Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ), newsroom, whose 29 October 2026 statements on the arrests and theft statistics to 22 October 2026 reached the public through the Costa Rican national press, accessed 30 October 2026; US Department of State, Costa Rica Travel Advisory, accessed 30 October 2026; Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR), reference exchange rate, 29 and 30 October 2026; Sistema de Emergencias 9-1-1, Costa Rica, accessed 30 October 2026; US National Library of Medicine, MedlinePlus: clonazepam, accessed 30 October 2026.

This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief