Tulum Authorities Vow To Combat Corrupt Police Extorting Tourists
My wife and I were pulled over by a cop??? in Tulum, Mexico who was following my wife and I earlier on the main street but refrained from pulling us over because of the amount of people that would witness the jack move. We bust a U as he was behind us to find the street (dirt road) to our Air B&B. About 15 minutes of sitting in a lot on a side street, we decided that we knew where we were going so, we departed.
As I made a right onto the main road and then a left onto the dirt road, I noticed a new model SUV behind us and then I noticed a police light with no siren right behind the SUV.
So, I assumed that he was pulling over the guy behind me. I believe he was at first and then he noticed me as the one he or one of his buddies was tracking just few minutes earlier. He looked in my face and like a movie, everything went in slow motion. He pointed for me to pull up and he pulled up behind me.
Now, this is when the extortion began. I was told that I was speeding but I was careful to not speed. Also, I knew that the officer did not clock me at all so what should we be worried about. Hell, he only had 1 headlight his damn self.
After stating my case, he then asked for my license and stated that it would be 3000 Pesos to get it back. I said, I don't have that much cash on me but that I had some money on me and that I would need to get the rest. Mind you, no warning, no ticket, no nothing. This is when the extortion began with the question of how much did I have. I said $50 US.
So, what happened next you may ask? Well let's just say, I got my license back and my wallet was $50 lighter.
We have to be careful, especially being BWT, when traveling because many times it's not the locals that will commit the crime, It's the damn police!
My wife and I were pulled over by a cop??? in Tulum, Mexico who was following my wife and I earlier on the main street but refrained from pulling us over because of the amount of people that would witness the jack move. We bust a U as he was behind us to find the street (dirt road) to our Air B&B. About 15 minutes of sitting in a lot on a side street, we decided that we knew where we were going so, we departed.
As I made a right onto the main road and then a left onto the dirt road, I noticed a new model SUV behind us and then I noticed a police light with no siren right behind the SUV.
So, I assumed that he was pulling over the guy behind me. I believe he was at first and then he noticed me as the one he or one of his buddies was tracking just few minutes earlier. He looked in my face and like a movie, everything went in slow motion. He pointed for me to pull up and he pulled up behind me.
Now, this is when the extortion began. I was told that I was speeding but I was careful to not speed. Also, I knew that the officer did not clock me at all so what should we be worried about. Hell, he only had 1 headlight his damn self.
After stating my case, he then asked for my license and stated that it would be 3000 Pesos to get it back. I said, I don't have that much cash on me but that I had some money on me and that I would need to get the rest. Mind you, no warning, no ticket, no nothing. This is when the extortion began with the question of how much did I have. I said $50 US.
So, what happened next you may ask? Well let's just say, I got my license back and my wallet was $50 lighter.
We have to be careful, especially being BWT, when traveling because many times it's not the locals that will commit the crime, It's the damn police!