"Welcome to Mexico," they were told. But it was anything but a dream vacation for several New Yorkers who recently headed south to one of the world's most famous Caribbean resorts, Cancún, in Quintana Roo state. All of them got taken for a ride, but not to the beach. They had to fork over thousands of dollars to local police after being taken into custody on a variety of trumped-up charges. One of the victims was a retired NYPD officer, but that didn't help him any. He had to pay up, too.
The aggrieved tourists gathered last week to tell their stories to a CBS affiliate in New York City. All had traveled to the resort within the last 60 days, and all confined their activities to the hotel zone, which is supposed to be free of the worries that locals must contend with daily. In recent months those worries have expanded to include periodic street combat involving three violent drug gangs, often just minutes away from where travelers lodge.
A group of young men from Yonkers had to fork over $4,000. The retired cop -- who was traveling with his wife and kids -- $1,500. Some of the victims were held at gunpoint, one was threatened with death and the NYPD officer was driven around for hours, held against his will, until he finally agreed to pay the mordida (bite). The reason he had called Cancún police in the first place was because someone had assaulted his wife on the beach.
The CBS news story (http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/05/07/seen-at-11-u-s-tourists-kidnapped-by-police-while-vacationing-abroad/) notes that "the U.S. State Department warns travelers that police corruption and criminal activity occurs in Cancún, as well as most other parts of Mexico." Watch the video below for more details on what happened to these people, who plan to pick another destination for their next holiday.
The Mexico Gulf Region Reporter has covered the incipient violence and corruption in Cancún for months, and was itself interviewed by a FOX network station in Houston on April 6. That report, about one traveler scared off by the presence of drug gangs, is here:
Should Cancún trips be canceled?: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2012/04/should-cancun-trips-be-canceled.html.
Cancún, no longer an oasis for most: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2012/05/cancun-no-longer-oasis-for-most.html.
Note: Police don't limit their extortionist activities to foreigners. Plenty of Mexican tourists -- probably far more -- get bit as well. Policías extorsionadores en playas de Cancún: http://www.poresto.net/ver_nota.php?zona=qroo&idSeccion=1&idTitulo=166845.
MGRR stories on related topics
Cancún hotel exec offers gloomy prognosis for local industry: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2012/05/cancun-hotel-exec-offers-gloomy.html#more.
Hotel Oasis Cancún slow in cooperating with police: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2012/05/oasis-cancun-slow-on-cooperating-with.html.
Brutal execution at Grand Oasis Cancún: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2012/05/brutal-execution-at-grand-oasis-cancun.html#more.
Los Zetas execution squad boss arrested near Hotel Oasis Cancún: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2012/04/los-zetas-execution-squad-arrested-at.html.
Execution in Cancún hotel zone: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2012/03/execution-in-cancun-hotel-zone.html.
Yucatán a haven for Mexican fugitives: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2012/03/yucatan-haven-for-mexican-fugitives.html.
Los Zetas working as spies in Cancún hotel zone: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2012/02/southern-zetas-operate-in-cancuns-hotel.html.
2012 Spring Breakers cancel Cancún travel plans: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2012/03/spring-break-nears-but-us-students-are.html#more.
American student nearly killed in 2010 Cancún attack: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2012/03/american-student-who-was-nearly-killed.html.
American tourist, 15, sexually assaulted in five-star Cancún hotel: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2012/01/american-tourist-15-sexually-assaulted.html.
Cancún #1 choice of U.S. travelers: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2012/01/cancun-easily-1-choice-of-us-travelers.html.
Business is booming in Quintana Roo: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2012/01/despite-drug-violence-quintana-roo.html.
U.S. issues new travel alert for Mexico: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2012/02/us-issues-new-travel-alert-for-mexico.html.
Mexico calls latest U.S. travel warning "ridiculous": http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2012/02/latest-us-travel-alert-is-ridiculous.html.
Mexican governor goes to Texas to challenge travel alert for spring breakers: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2012/03/mexican-governor-will-travel-to-texas.html.
Los Pelones flourish in Quintana Roo: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2012/03/los-pelones-executions-continue-in-qr.html#more.
In Cancún, Los Zetas deliver drugs by taxi and death on demand: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2012/03/in-cancun-los-pelones-happily-deliver.html.
Mexico's Caribbean Riviera Maya in the hands of drug cartels and extortionists: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2012/02/mexicos-caribbean-riviera-maya-in-hands.html.
300 Q.R. businesses fold in 2011, facing ubiquitous extortion: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2011/12/300-businesses-close-in-cancun-riviera.html.
Who's running Quintana Roo, anyway? http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2011/10/los-zetas-are-taking-over-cancun-playa.html.
Can promotion of gay wedding industry check rising Los Zetas effect? http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2011/12/can-quintana-roo-state-save-itself-from.html.
Two women executed in Isla de Mujeres: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2011/10/two-women-executed-in-plush-isla-de.html.
Chief of Tourist Police executed in Playa del Carmen: http://mexicogulfreporter-supplement.blogspot.com/2011/11/chief-of-tourist-police-executed-in.html.
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