Policia Turistica continue to extort the turists they are supposed to protect

Policia Turistica continue to extort the turists they are supposed to protect

Policia Turistica San Carlos

It has just been brought to my attention that the Tourism Police are back at it once again. The back at part means that if you are tourist in San Carlos you are actually viewed as more of a meal ticket than a person of the community that is supposed to be protected. In other words watch your ass if you are a tourist because they are coming for you. On Saturday a buddy of mine from Durango Colorado was out fishing. He towed his small fishing boat all the way from Durango after purchasing his temporary import permit online. He speaks pretty good Spanish also. On Saturday afternoon/early evening around 6 p.m. he was unloading his boat after a day of sport fishing. He actually got skunked but what awaited him at the Marina San Carlos parking lot just added insult to injury. Now mind you my friend had not even gotten into his car yet when two “policia turisticas approached him and his buddy at the marina and told them that they were both under arrest.” The charge apparently was that they had been drinking while they were boating. Yep, that is right the tourism police I guess are now gonna start patrolling the Marina San Carlos and if you look like you have been boating and drinking then you are going to be a clear target for extortion.

The extortion by our local men on quad-runners freaked out not to mention pissed off my buddies companion so much so that he immediately left San Carlos,  that night mind you, and has vowed never to return to Mexico.

I will remind everyone in Mexico that driving with alcohol on your breath is actually a crime  and you can get a ticket for that but my friend had not even gotten into his truck yet and of course they had a few beers while  trolling but were certainly not under the influence. My fried from Durango also speaks pretty good Spanish and demanded the that the cop look him in the eye while he handed over his 25 dollar donation. The cop just looked down in silence, took the money and left the scene. Let this be a warning to all the newbies coming here an the locals who may have some friends visiting from out of town. It is unfortunate but true that as a foreigner in San Carlos you are going to be targeted for extortion.

I would please ask anyone who has a recent story of extortion at the hands of our local tourism police to please drop my a line. (vince@sancarlos.tv) I am planning on going on Ricardo Lopez’s local t.v. news program out of Guaymas soon with a list of recent and past extortion events from our local policia turisticas. I think this is reason number 1,369 as to why San Carlos should be it’s own incorporated city.

 

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