Acapulco Health and Safety

A 2006 report ranked Acapulco fifth among Mexican cities for number of crimes committed per capita, which surpasses Mexico City. Smugglers use the Guerrero coast as a drop point for shipments of cocaine from Colombia, much of which then passes through Acapulco on its way to the United States. A significant portion is sold for use within the city itself, mostly in the form of crack. Violence between rival drug cartels has escalated greatly, and in late 2005 it may have spilled over (no one's talking) into a touristed area when four city residents were killed in a hail of bullets in the parking lot of La Quebrada. At least 15 people died in drug-related violence in early 2006, including four killed in a dramatic shootout between police and suspected traffickers on a downtown street a couple of kilometers inland from the beach.

Still, tourists who avoid Acapulco's inland neighborhoods probably have more to fear from the rough surf at Playa Revolcadero (which does claim lives), the raw sewage that flows into the bay following rains and the traffic on La Costera.

The Casa Consular receives many reports from visitors who have suffered thefts from their hotel rooms in the area around the zócalo. Secure your valuables!