A new study from Colombia's National Planning Department and the Association of Capital Cities (Asocapitales) puts a startling number on one of the country's most persistent security problems: an extortion case is now reported every 39 minutes. Three years ago the rate was one every 54 minutes — a rise of roughly 37% between 2022 and 2025.
The report, which pulls together 15 years of data, records around 111,000 extortion cases nationwide and a jump of about 40% in the most recent four-year period. Bogota alone accounts for nearly 3,000 cases, making it one of the most affected of Colombia's 32 departmental capitals. The concentration in big cities is striking: in 2025, more than half of all reported cases — 54% — happened in capital cities, and reports there climbed from an average of 1,500 in 2020 to more than 13,000 in recent years.
What makes the crime hard to police is its method. According to the study, much of the extortion is orchestrated from inside prisons, where inmates direct operations via illegal phones, or is carried out through digital platforms and social networks that let criminals intimidate victims remotely. The government plans to fold the findings into its National Development Plan, including 27 proposed actions — among them signal jammers in correctional facilities, tighter coordination between national and local authorities, better victim support, and new tech tools for the security forces and the Attorney General's Office.
For visitors, it's worth keeping perspective. Extortion primarily targets residents, businesses and locals rather than tourists, and millions of people travel to Colombia each year without incident. But the broader picture matters: the same criminal networks behind phone-based extortion often run scams targeting visitors, and the report signals that urban crime is a live policy issue in Bogota and other major cities. Practical habits go a long way — avoid sharing travel plans or phone numbers publicly, be sceptical of unexpected calls or messages demanding money, and use hotel safes rather than carrying valuables around. Travellers should also note that tourist areas in Bogota, Medellin and Cartagena typically have a heavier police presence than residential neighbourhoods where extortion rackets operate.
The Colombian government has made cracking down on prison-based and digital extortion a pillar of its security agenda, and the report will shape how funds and tactics are deployed across the country's cities. Anyone planning a trip to Colombia should follow local advisories as the strategy rolls out, but the country's main destinations remain open, busy and welcoming — this is a story about residents' daily security more than a warning against travel.
