Crime, Safety, and the Police

[ScatManDoo]

Its in the general report thread. From around late Sept.

Please keep us informed on how it goes with Sinducatura. Just be prepared for the, "so did you actually see him take the money?" question.

There seems to be no follow-up to that promise to make a report to Sinducatuta.

[MikeyOC]

I have been making my approaches and my exits from the west as indicated by several brothers here. But lately I found a new method. Driving into el centro you go up third, and right before it hits Revoluciand you enter to the right into the Soriano parking lot. There is a 24 hour grocery with a good ATM machine and 24 hour security. I exit the lot and walk up second which is well lit with traffic and people all hours of the day and night and make a right on Constitucion. And walk down the hill into the zona, past some of my favorite paraditas. Returning to the car I come up the hill on constitution and make a left to get on second walk up to Revoluciand and a little past it into the parking lot. Then to the border, simply exit the lot on segunda right to all border lanes. Never a cop to be seen.

Well, actually this is a very good location. I used to walk to Aztec massage which is on Calle 2 and Revolucion. The problem with me is that my trip is not a quick hit-and-run. I usually stay in hotel Leyva to take a break between missions. Now this hotel is right in the middle of Tiger's den. There is no way to lose the flies at this location. Sigh. Last Saturday I took Coahuila westbound instead of east towards Madero and I didn't like the route because of too many police cars / trucks. The solution I came up with is to stay overnight at the hotel and leave early in the morning.

[Captain Solo]

Your walking path has medium risks early in the evening, but after 10 PM Constitucion and Calle 1 have been known for choke holding rateros in the last few years.

I would rather fight traffic tickets from stupid, corrupt cops than a few rateros with knives. Driving is still safer, quicker and less work walking that distance. You just have to learn how to deal with policias without fear. I have seen Mexicans begged off tickets from a moto cop on Calle 3 near Revolucion.

Just write down all identifications about them and mention "Sindicatura. " They would go on to rob the next weak and stupid guys rather than risking answering to prosecutors. The moto cop I reported last year no longer work near La Zona.

I have been making my approaches and my exits from the west as indicated by several brothers here. But lately I found a new method. Driving into el centro you go up third, and right before it hits Revoluciand you enter to the right into the Soriano parking lot. There is a 24 hour grocery with a good ATM machine and 24 hour security. I exit the lot and walk up second which is well lit with traffic and people all hours of the day and night and make a right on Constitucion. And walk down the hill into the zona, past some of my favorite paraditas. Returning to the car I come up the hill on constitution and make a left to get on second walk up to Revoluciand and a little past it into the parking lot. Then to the border, simply exit the lot on segunda right to all border lanes. Never a cop to be seen.

[Steven]

I have been making my approaches and my exits from the west as indicated by several brothers here. But lately I found a new method. Driving into el centro you go up third, and right before it hits Revoluciand you enter to the right into the Soriano parking lot. There is a 24 hour grocery with a good ATM machine and 24 hour security. I exit the lot and walk up second which is well lit with traffic and people all hours of the day and night and make a right on Constitucion. And walk down the hill into the zona, past some of my favorite paraditas. Returning to the car I come up the hill on constitution and make a left to get on second walk up to Revoluciand and a little past it into the parking lot. Then to the border, simply exit the lot on segunda right to all border lanes. Never a cop to be seen.

[WombatEd2]

Well, besides Mexico, which country has its newly elected mayor gunned down in front of her house by gang members? Can you name one country where a group of students are rounded up by local police and then handed to the local gangs to be slaughtered? Of course it's always safe until shit happens to you. I love Mexico and its people and vibrant culture but facts are facts.

Mikey,

My initial comment was about corruption, not violence.

For the kind of experience you describe, you'd have to go to Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, or about half the countries in Latin America.

As someone who used to work in Compton, right where the Mona Park Crips turf intersects (violently) with the Largo 36-ers, I'd say it was a good idea to stay cautious, and stay aware, wherever you might go.

[MikeyOC]

In my experience, Mexico is pretty typical.

This Wikipedia article lists Mexico as 95th of 167, with the USA at #16, and North Korea at 167. That puts Mexico pretty much in the middle of the pack.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corrup...ceptions_Index

In other words, while Mexican corruption sucks, it's nowhere near the worst in the world.

Well, besides Mexico, which country has its newly elected mayor gunned down in front of her house by gang members? Can you name one country where a group of students are rounded up by local police and then handed to the local gangs to be slaughtered? Of course it's always safe until shit happens to you. I love Mexico and its people and vibrant culture but facts are facts.

Back to my trip report tonight. I took the route that someone suggested here: going west on Coahuila instead of east toward Madero and then left on Mutualismo to get onto Calle 2. This was about 7 PM tonight and there were just way too many police trucks there. One truck was following me but luckily I was not stopped. They usually get you on your way out. Since I was going in the opposite direction, they didn't stop me? I don't know.

[WombatEd2]

Personally I have not had any problems with cops in Tijuana. I do not drink and do not drive in Tijuana. The police has only stopped me twice once to look in my shoulder bag and the other time to ask where I was going on the pedestrian bridge.

I haven't had a negative experience with Tijuana cops in decades. OTOH, one time when I stopped on the side of the Libramiento, a cop pulled up behind me, and asked me if I was having any trouble. When I said "no", he left. Absolutely as professional as I'd have expected from a California Highway Patrol officer. (Yeah, yeah, I know; YMMV.).

[Hargow20]

Personally I have not had any problems with cops in Tijuana. I do not drink and do not drive in Tijuana. The police has only stopped me twice once to look in my shoulder bag and the other time to ask where I was going on the pedestrian bridge.

[WombatEd2]

Mexico is one of the most corrupted countries in the world ...

In my experience, Mexico is pretty typical.

This Wikipedia article lists Mexico as 95th of 167, with the USA at #16, and North Korea at 167. That puts Mexico pretty much in the middle of the pack.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corrup...ceptions_Index

In other words, while Mexican corruption sucks, it's nowhere near the worst in the world.

[Phordphan]

I've been to many "Tourist" places and I think Mexico is the only place where the tourists are harassed by local police. You would think that you, as a tourist who brings US dollars to help the local economy would get a nice welcome treatment from policia, much less harassment and extortion.

Well, what do you expect? Mexico is one of the most corrupted countries in the world so you need to expect the unexpected the moment you cross the border. Remember, the Mexican law is exact opposite of the US criminal law. You are guilty until proven innocent. This is why people get thrown into jail without proven guilty and we know the Mexican jail is the last place you want to be. I am not trying to scare anybody but I am trying to say that we need to realize what we are getting ourselves into, once we cross the border. Well, I am heading to LZ tomorrow. I will try the route someone suggested here and report back.

Hardly the only place. The Mexican cops could take lessons from their Thai counterparts.

[MikeyOC]

I've been to many "Tourist" places and I think Mexico is the only place where the tourists are harassed by local police. You would think that you, as a tourist who brings US dollars to help the local economy would get a nice welcome treatment from policia, much less harassment and extortion.

Well, what do you expect? Mexico is one of the most corrupted countries in the world so you need to expect the unexpected the moment you cross the border. Remember, the Mexican law is exact opposite of the US criminal law. You are guilty until proven innocent. This is why people get thrown into jail without proven guilty and we know the Mexican jail is the last place you want to be. I am not trying to scare anybody but I am trying to say that we need to realize what we are getting ourselves into, once we cross the border. Well, I am heading to LZ tomorrow. I will try the route someone suggested here and report back.

[ScatManDoo]

Looks like you lucked out Scatman.

You are absolutely correct BS.

I was changing LZ hotels and carrying more dinero than normal. My last bag was still in my room, the Leyva folks knew I was checking out by 1 PM. And I was scheduled to meet up with QW in just a few minutes at another LZ hotel.

Consequently I probably would have been more willing to pay a mordida than usual because of the time crunch.

[Baxter Slade]

Looks like you lucked out Scatman. That is the exact same spot my amigo got jacked up for carryi g ED meds. It cost him 2 hours of his time $80 . And left him bruised up after the trip to the field.

[Captain Solo]

Perhaps the horny policias were not after the money.

Perhaps they just want an excuse to grope Scoop for free. Hehe.

Scoop should sell them a few fichas. Hehe.

[ScatManDoo]

I was walking to the Leyva yesterday (Sunday) around 12:30 PM (just returning to Leyva after packing a dufflebag into my quasi-wingman's car). I was carrying three Figral tablets in the right front pocket of my jeans (that I had meant to leave in QW's auto).

In front of Leyva's new wing (under construction) two cops roll up in vehicle. One policia jumps out of the shotgun seat and stops me. He asks me where I'm going (Leyva) where do I come from (the OC). How long is my stay (last of three days & nights).

He then asks me for ID. I pull out my small card holder, remove my passport card and hand it to the policia, while his partner gets out of the driver's side of the police car.

After looking at my ID the first cop hands my passport card back to me & then he asks me to put my hands on the hood of his car. I say OK, but before I put my hands on the car I reach into my front left pocket and pull out my neat fold of $1 & $2 bills and put them in the hand holding the card case.

I then repeat in quick fashion, pulling my larger US bills from my rear left pocket, then my small peso bills from my right front pocket and the large peso bill from right rear pocket. I felt the Figral tablets in my pocket as I did this.

I then placed my hands on the hood of his car (expecting a lengthy situation to ensue concerning the three Figral pills) with one hand holding my card case, passport card, and four neat folds of currency. . But instead, to my pleasant surprise, the Tijuana cop decides to just pat the outside of my left front pocket, instead of reaching into all my pockets. All he hears is the jingle of keys & coins. Totally disinterested in searching me, he then tells me that I can go.