Costa Rica's Homicides Surge Due to Drug Trafficking.

Costa Rica experienced 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 in marginalized neighborhoods. The murder rate has increased in each of the last four years, with 80% of the killings related to the growth in drug trafficking.