Crime, Safety, and the Police

[Captain Solo]

Saturday night after midnight we were driving back on Benito Juarez towards the border via the medical lane. At the Miguel Negrete intersection, one block before the street splits out in three, with lots of body shops and the Haitian flop houses, 5 cop cars parked on both sides of the street flashing red and blue beacons. They were stopping and looking into each car at that intersection.

The road block was not an alcohol check point usually set up after midnight with the big truck flashing its yellow beacon, keeping a couple pretty girls, who run the breath analyzer, warm. The old, hardened cop looked hard into our car. I asked him "Qure pasa?" he quickly waved us through. They did pull over a few cars with California plates but definitely were not looking for drunk drivers. Perhaps the mayor wanted them to catch the little pendejo who fucked both his daughter and his wife and made them both pregnant, or perhaps the cartel guys who were late with installments hehe.

Glad Tijuana's tax dollar is putting policias to do something besides hanging out near La Zona to shake down gringos for morditas. Tijuana should try to hold the world's record for the largest number of hot, sexy, nubile female bodies in bars, not cold, stiff, bloody, rotting bodies in the morgue. Have to find alternate route South to avoid that check point and get to Pade Kino / Sentri lanes in the future. It's strange but Tijuana has no, read zero, policia patrol outside of la Zona Norte, nada! Perhaps the bars pool their money and donate heavily to the mayor's charity foundation every month.

[StRobert]

Tijuana, Guerrero politicians dispute violent cities study findings link https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/pol...tudy-findings/.

Tijuana's mayor charges that the study was politically driven.

Thursday, March 14,2019.

Politicians in Baja California and Guerrero have rejected a study that found that Tijuana and Acapulco were the two most violent cities in the world outside war zones in 2018.

The Citizens' Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice CCSPJP, a non-governmental organization, published a study this week that ranked Tijuana as the most violent city in the world as a result of its homicide rate of just over 138 per 100,000 inhabitants. Acapulco ranked second with a rate of 110.5.

Tijuana Mayor Juan Manuel Gastélum acknowledged that there was a high number of homicides in the city last year but claimed that the study used incorrect data and has a clear "political connotation" because municipal and state elections will be held this year.

"It's a fraudulent study with a political purpose, I can't see it any other way. I don't know who could be behind this, we have to review. . . This entity the CCSPJP," he said.

Tijuana Public Security Secretary Marco Antonio Sotomayor contended that the study included homicides in Rosarito even though the coastal city is in another municipality.

Both men pointed out that the number of homicides in Tijuana has fallen in 2019.

In response to the mayor's claim, CCSPJP president José Antonio Ortega told the newspaper El Sol de Tijuana that the study has no political purpose other than to encourage authorities to implement policies that improve public security.

"We do this study with complete methodological rigor precisely so that authorities, the media and the population pay attention to the murderous violence. . . And establish different policies in order to get out of this horrific ranking of the 50 most violent cities in the world," he said.

In Guerrero, Governor Héctor Astudillo rejected Acapulco's second-place ranking.

"I reject it because the indicators we have from the National Public Security System tell us that we're in fourth place for homicides per 100,000 inhabitants and sixth place for the sheer number of homicides," he said.

The governor conceded that violence in the faded Pacific coast resort city is an ongoing problem that "requires attention" but charged that authorities are working every day to combat insecurity and that crime rates are already falling.

"I don't accept that Acapulco is the second most violent city," Astudillo reiterated.

Acapulco Mayor Adela Romáand Ocampo expressed a similar sentiment, charging that the CCSPJP didn't take into account the "hard facts" that show that violence in the port city is going down.

"I categorically reject it the ranking because we went down to fourth and sixth place for intentional homicides. . . ".

Source: Milenio, Frontera.Info , El Sol de Tijuana Digital Guerrero.

[WombatEd2]

I understand that you can get your visa online. Not sure if that applies to 7- or 180- day visas. But anything is good if it avoids the the wait at the border for one-day visas!

[Aviator400]

If you have 180 - day visa go straight to the entrance for Mexicans. You only show visa and passport card to a Mexican officer and that's all. I have 180 - day visa and never have a problem. If the visa is over, go to the entrance for Americans and buy a new one. I asked, and the Mexican officer said that to Tijuana you do not need visa receipt but it's good to have a receipt outside of Tijuana e g in Ensenada, Vale de Guadeloupe, Rosarito etc.

Thanks for the info. I have been to Tijuana often, but this is the first time I bought the 180-day visa.

[StRobert]

Got some grief when crossing the new border from the US to Mexico.

When I first arrived, there was some guy standing at the head of the line screening people. I showed him my passport card and 180-day visa and he waved me past the gals checking passports and issuing visas.

The next morning, I went into San Diego to have lunch. When I returned, I showed the gal at the desk my 180-day visa. She started to give me some grief, asking for the receipt received when I paid for the visa.

I asked why I would be expected to keep the receipt. I reminded her that she was the one who directed me to the cashier when I bought the visa three weeks ago. The visa had her signature on it, so why is she questioning it?

She got a little huffy, but said it was OK and let me pass. Am I going to get this kind of grief every time I encounter her?

If you have 180 - day visa go straight to the entrance for Mexicans. You only show visa and passport card to a Mexican officer and that's all. I have 180 - day visa and never have a problem. If the visa is over, go to the entrance for Americans and buy a new one. I asked, and the Mexican officer said that to Tijuana you do not need visa receipt but it's good to have a receipt outside of Tijuana e g in Ensenada, Vale de Guadeloupe, Rosarito etc.

[TomJackin]

I'll know better next time and won't toss the receipt. When I was dealing with her before, she seemed fairly straight, so I don't think she was intentionally fucking with me, but you never know.

I think she may have thought I had forged the visa. I do have a ne'er-do-well look about me.

Next time I buy a pass, I will keep the receipt.

I use a passport holder to carry my FMM, the receipt, and my passport card. But only when I travel to Mexico. They are available on Ebay for around 2 bucks.

When traveling to other countries, I use the same type of holder for a copy of my passport.

[Aviator400]

I cross every week and never been asked for my receipt. However, I do carry the receipt with me just in case. Maybe she was having a "Let's fuck with Gringos" day?

I'll know better next time and won't toss the receipt. When I was dealing with her before, she seemed fairly straight, so I don't think she was intentionally fucking with me, but you never know.

I think she may have thought I had forged the visa. I do have a ne'er-do-well look about me.

Next time I buy a pass, I will keep the receipt.

[Jackie888]

Got some grief when crossing the new border from the US to Mexico.

When I first arrived, there was some guy standing at the head of the line screening people. I showed him my passport card and 180-day visa and he waved me past the gals checking passports and issuing visas.

The next morning, I went into San Diego to have lunch. When I returned, I showed the gal at the desk my 180-day visa. She started to give me some grief, asking for the receipt received when I paid for the visa.

I asked why I would be expected to keep the receipt. I reminded her that she was the one who directed me to the cashier when I bought the visa three weeks ago. The visa had her signature on it, so why is she questioning it?

She got a little huffy, but said it was OK and let me pass. Am I going to get this kind of grief every time I encounter her?

Maybe she's jealous because she knows you're going to HK. You should have pointed to your crotch and tell her to not worry, you'll save some for her too, then wink.

[TomJackin]

When I returned, I showed the gal at the desk my 180-day visa. She started to give me some grief, asking for the receipt received when I paid for the visa.

I asked why I would be expected to keep the receipt. I reminded her that she was the one who directed me to the cashier when I bought the visa three weeks ago. The visa had her signature on it, so why is she questioning it?

She got a little huffy, but said it was OK and let me pass. Am I going to get this kind of grief every time I encounter her?

I cross every week and never been asked for my receipt. However, I do carry the receipt with me just in case. Maybe she was having a "Let's fuck with Gringos" day?

[Aviator400]

Got some grief when crossing the new border from the US to Mexico.

When I first arrived, there was some guy standing at the head of the line screening people. I showed him my passport card and 180-day visa and he waved me past the gals checking passports and issuing visas.

The next morning, I went into San Diego to have lunch. When I returned, I showed the gal at the desk my 180-day visa. She started to give me some grief, asking for the receipt received when I paid for the visa.

I asked why I would be expected to keep the receipt. I reminded her that she was the one who directed me to the cashier when I bought the visa three weeks ago. The visa had her signature on it, so why is she questioning it?

She got a little huffy, but said it was OK and let me pass. Am I going to get this kind of grief every time I encounter her?

[Muncher8888]

Was at Hong Kong this Saturday and grab a Uber at 3 AM to get back to my hotel. About five minutes into the ride we get pulled over by a cop and the he searches me and my buddy for "drugs" and the sneaky SOB took 120 dollars From my buddies pocket as he was searching. I've heard cops pulling over people driving their own cars and stopping people on the streets for a shake down but never heard of a case where he pulls over a Uber ride. I suspect maybe the cop and the Uber driver are in together in this scam. I've always felt somewhat safe taking Uber around Tijuana especially late at night but this really sucks because I feel this cop will target other late Uber riders and possibly other cops will catch on as well.

Did you report this to Uber? While you won't get your money back, a couple reports against the same driver and I would think Uber would take action. They have had enough bad pub in the USA With the murders.

You could save a future Tijuana traveler from getting copped.

[Jim0129]

Was at Hong Kong this Saturday and grab a Uber at 3 AM to get back to my hotel. About five minutes into the ride we get pulled over by a cop and the he searches me and my buddy for "drugs" and the sneaky SOB took 120 dollars From my buddies pocket as he was searching. I've heard cops pulling over people driving their own cars and stopping people on the streets for a shake down but never heard of a case where he pulls over a Uber ride. I suspect maybe the cop and the Uber driver are in together in this scam. I've always felt somewhat safe taking Uber around Tijuana especially late at night but this really sucks because I feel this cop will target other late Uber riders and possibly other cops will catch on as well.

You should get on your UBER app and report the incident, if the driver has several similar complaints he can be kicked out of UBER.

[Baxter Slade]

Where is the best place to report corrupt police. ? They say to report them to ministry of tourism I believe. I am unconvinced this does much good.

They say the office of sinductura is the internal affairs type office for reporting problems with the police. I once had a case of being clearly robbed by the police. It was cleared up by reporting the crime to the emergency number and I got my money back.

After giving it some thought and hearing reports of the same cops robbing other gringos. I payed a visit to the sinductura office. I thought if it worked anything like a police dept in the USA Internal affairs they would love to get info on some corrupt cops. Well it does not work like that. I thought it would be like thanks for the info we will keep an eye on them and maybe conduct a sting. Instead it was fill out some paperwork and then you will meet face to face with sinductura attorneys and the corrupt cop. I chose to just walk away. Probably not worth fighting age old mexican corruption. And besides who needs enimies when visiting zona norte. Life is to cheap down there I'm sure the bad cop could have got a ratero to stick a knife in my side for a meazely $20.

To sum it up most of these shakedowns involve a cop slipping a little amount of money out of a scared or drunk gringos pocket in these cases its pretty hard to report. You will find your self 2nd guessing if the cop took something or you just forgot you may have spent it. Then you just have to chock it up to the cost of doing business in TJ. In the case of the OP's story. Where you are sure the cop stole money and if you can ID the cop by car # or some other means report it immediatly as a crime in progress as if you are a victim of a real robbery.

[Hargow20]

Where is the best place to report corrupt police. ? They say to report them to ministry of tourism I believe. I am unconvinced this does much good.

Anything is posible heard of them working with cabbies. I'm curious if they showed any interest in the driver? Or only the passengers. During any kind of interaction with TJs monkees always try to get a vehicle number. Even if the situation is over walk back to there car and ask a stupid question to try to get there unit #.

[BigDub2000]

Anything is posible heard of them working with cabbies. I'm curious if they showed any interest in the driver? Or only the passengers. During any kind of interaction with TJs monkees always try to get a vehicle number. Even if the situation is over walk back to there car and ask a stupid question to try to get there unit #.

He did engage the driver first and proceeded to examine us but it all could be an act to engage the driver first.

We were so rattled that we didn't t even think about getting any plate or unit number. Real bummer as I have been visiting Tijuana number of times in last few years without any of these assholes harassing us. Really left a real bad taste. But in the positive side I did get to hook up with a real fun chica with stunning green eyes.