Costa Rica's Homicides Surge Due to Drug Trafficking.

Costa Rica recorded a record 657 homicides last year, with Limon having a homicide rate five times the national average. The country has become a warehousing and transshipment point for drugs sent to Europe by homegrown Costa Rican gangs. The violence stems from disputes over both the control of cocaine shipped to Europe and the marijuana sold locally. The victims of the violence are mostly young unemployed men who make up the majority of the casualties in fierce territorial battles.