Is Cali Safe in July 2026?

Unofficial taxis and pre-arranged robbery vehicles operate extensively in Cali, particularly near the bus terminal and airport. Victims are driven to a secondary location where armed accomplices board the vehicle and rob them of cash, phones, jewellery, and bank cards. Forced ATM withdrawals under armed escort have been reported to police.

How to avoid: Only use InDriver or Cabify apps, which assign a registered driver with a tracked vehicle. Never hail taxis from the street, accept rides from strangers offering lifts, or use taxis that approach you outside bus terminals or clubs. If the driver takes an unexpected route, keep calm and contact someone.

Scopolamine, known locally as burundanga, is used in Cali to incapacitate victims who are then robbed, forced to withdraw cash from ATMs, or assaulted. The drug is colourless and odourless and can be slipped into drinks, food, or applied to skin through physical contact. Victims have no memory of events while incapacitated. This is a documented, recurring danger in the city nightlife zone, not a rare occurrence.

How to avoid: Do not accept drinks, food, cigarettes, or any consumable from strangers. Be cautious of anyone being overly friendly or insistent. Avoid leaving drinks unattended at bars. If you feel suddenly confused or unable to make decisions, alert a trusted person immediately.

In Cali bars and clubs, attractive individuals make contact with tourists, develop conversation and trust over the evening, and then invite them back to a private location. At the destination, accomplices are waiting and the victim is robbed at gunpoint or knifepoint. In some cases scopolamine is also used to incapacitate the victim before robbery.

How to avoid: Never go to a private location with someone you just met in a Cali bar or club, regardless of how trustworthy they seem. Share your location with someone you trust before going anywhere. Be especially cautious if someone you met recently is unusually insistent about leaving the venue together.

Beyond scopolamine, straightforward drink spiking with sedatives occurs at tourist-frequented bars in Barrio Granada. Victims who are unable to walk unassisted are escorted out by fake friends and robbed in the street or in waiting vehicles. Staff at some venues are complicit.

How to avoid: Order drinks directly from bar staff and watch them being prepared. Never accept a drink that was already poured when it was handed to you. Leave with the same people you arrived with. If a companion becomes suddenly incapacitated, do not accept assistance from strangers and call an app-based taxi immediately.

In Cali salsa venues, particularly in Juanchito, tourists are frequently presented with bills that include drinks they did not order, inflated prices double those on the menu, and compulsory table service charges that were not disclosed. Arguments with staff in this environment can escalate.

How to avoid: Request an itemised written tab before leaving your seat to pay. Photograph the drink menu price board on arrival so you have evidence of the correct prices. Count how many drinks were ordered and verify the total before handing over any money.