Early this year, prices for arabica beans—the variety generally used for high-end brews—hit the highest level on record following several disappointing harvests. Pressure has since eased slightly, but year-to-date prices are still almost double the 2023 average. “Crime is an economic activity. From the moment you have a high-value-added coffee harvest, it becomes an attraction for criminals,” says Guilherme Derrite, secretary for public safety of São Paulo.