Costa Rica mega prison receives first 123 inmates at new security center

First inmates arrive

The Costa Rican Justice Ministry announced that the High-Containment Center Against Organized Crime, known as CACCO, had taken in its first group of prisoners. It shared images on Tuesday showing 123 inmates in orange clothing, seated with shaved heads and their hands behind their necks.

Justice Minister Gabriel Aguilar said Costa Rica was beginning a new chapter in its prison history. The facility is on the outskirts of San Jose.

A new security approach

The prison was built with assistance from the Salvadoran government at a cost of $35m. Fernandez inaugurated it on October 15. A statement described CACCO as a response to organized crime and a sign of the state’s authority. Its capacity of 5,100 is equivalent to 20 percent of Costa Rica’s prison population, Aguilar said, adding that it would help reduce overcrowding.

Violence and prison policy

Costa Rica has long been regarded as one of Latin America’s safest countries, but violence linked to drug trafficking and organized crime has risen in recent years. The country recorded 905 homicides in 2023, 876 in 2024 and 873 in 2025.

Authorities attribute most killings to criminal groups competing over drug routes and markets. Right-wing leaders elsewhere in Latin America have also sought to replicate the mega-prison model.