Crime in Honduras

Common risks in Honduras include homicide, armed robbery, motorcycle robberies against pedestrians, vehicle theft, ATM surveillance, gang and drug-related crime, domestic violence, sexual violence, kidnapping, extortion, human trafficking, online fraud, telephone fraud, WhatsApp account takeovers and romance or payment scams. In 2025, the Observatorio Nacional de la Violencia at UNAH, the National Police, forensic medicine and the National Registry of Persons recorded 2,633 homicides, corresponding to 26.2 per 100,000 inhabitants. Preliminary figures for January to June 2026 recorded 1,236 homicides and projected 24.6 per 100,000 for the year; police statistics remain subject to continuing inter-institutional validation. These national figures do not determine the risk in a particular municipality. A police snapshot dated 3 August 2026 recorded 172 homicides in Distrito Central, 99 in San Pedro Sula, 44 in El Progreso, 42 in La Ceiba and 38 in Comayagua. The northern coast and central areas require particular local assessment, while Gracias a Dios presents additional difficulties because violence combines with weak infrastructure and limited public security presence. Local conditions can change quickly, so a department-level figure does not replace a current municipality-level check. For immediate danger, violence, weapons or danger to a child, call 911. The national emergency line coordinates police, ambulance and other assistance and is available without charge. A crime report can be made verbally or in writing at a police post or Jefatura, through 911, or at the Ministerio Público's Módulo de Recepción de Denuncias, known as MRD. The MRD makes an initial check and forwards the report to the responsible Fiscalía on the same day or, at the latest, the next working day under its rules. Provide truthful core details and preserve messages, photographs, account records, medical documents and other evidence in their original form. No general investigation or case-completion deadline is established for all reports, and fees for reporting through the MRD or Ministerio Público should not be assumed to be waived. Extortion requires a different safety response. Call the free 143 line for anonymous and confidential assistance at any time, and call 911 as well when danger is immediate. Do not negotiate with or pay the extortionist, and do not arrange a personal meeting. Preserve calls, messages, telephone numbers, account details and payment instructions. If money has already been transferred, contact the bank immediately to seek a hold and preserve the transaction record. DIPAMPCO and DAET handle gang, organized-crime and extortion matters, while FESCCO within the Ministerio Público deals with organized crime. For domestic violence, the free and confidential 114 Mujer Vivir Sin Miedo line operates 24 hours a day, and 911 remains available for immediate danger. The victim, a family member, a friend or another person may report the violence. Police, the Ministerio Público and the competent court can order measures such as separation from the shared home, contact or proximity restrictions, weapons retention and safe accommodation. The Poder Judicial states that a hearing can take place within 24 hours. The MAIE provides legal, psychological, social and forensic medical support; its published telephone service is 2221-3534 from 08:00 to 16:00 on weekdays, and its mobile service assists communities that are difficult to reach. Children and adolescents can be referred to SENAF, the national child and family protection service, and SIGADENAH. SENAF materials identify 110 for reports, while 911 applies when danger is immediate. The Fiscalía Especial de la Niñez, MAIE, ATIC, forensic medicine and the Witness Protection Program can coordinate responses to sexual abuse. Access to regional SENAF offices and municipal structures is uneven; Honduras does not have a directly equivalent institution to the German Jugendamt. For a digital crime, do not disclose a password, PIN, SMS code or verification code and do not follow links or pressure instructions from an unknown sender. Change account passwords immediately, notify the bank or telephone provider where relevant, and save screenshots, numbers, links and transaction data. Reports can be directed to the police, DPI, MRD or Ministerio Público. UICDI and INTERPOL, together with FE-PROSI, handle relevant technical and cybercrime investigations, but no single nationwide online reporting platform has been reliably established. Human trafficking can be reported through the free national 145 line, which provides reporting and initial assistance. CICESCT coordinates inter-institutional action, and FESCCO investigates organized structures. Do not confront suspected traffickers or attempt an independent rescue. A witness may seek formal admission to the Witness Protection Program when effective participation in a case and a demonstrated risk justify protection; admission is not automatic and protection may extend to a spouse, partner, family member or another closely endangered person. Defensa Pública offers free legal representation to people without sufficient means and reports 35 locations with continuous availability. Everyday precautions reduce exposure without guaranteeing safety. Keep jewellery, cash and phones out of sight, observe the surroundings near ATMs, avoid resisting a robbery physically, and do not admit unknown people to accommodation. Avoid intercity travel after dark unless the specific journey has been risk-assessed. In Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, walking routes require attention to both crime and traffic. Share a travel or location plan with a trusted person, avoid demonstrations and dense crowds when local conditions are tense, and treat dating contacts or service offers that request an isolated meeting as possible fake-service or kidnapping risks.