Crime, Safety, and the Police

[Baxter Slade]

Can someone post a picture of the card?

Here is some useful links I found:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/BajaSindicatura/

http://www.sindicatura.gob.mx/#/ default.

I tries to post what a fake card looks like. Fake because years ago. I paid a visit to the office after being robbed by the poluce and asked for a card and they said no such thing.

[Hargow20]

One idea is to make a card with sinductura name & logo atong with tourist phone # and then laminate the card. Laminating something makes thing seem more legitimate I have had cops try and stop me when I tried holding the money in my hand. A few years back this one stopped me and searched my phone. He tried telling me that this picture of a girl with a skirt was porno. He then claimed that pornography is illegal in Mexico (Only child pornography is illegal in Mexico). The one good thin is that police have not been stopping many US people o foot. About 4 years ago the police would park at the west end the alley and wait to search people. One time the police searched me they were disappointed they did not find anything. The cops also used wait on the pedestrian bridge to search people as well.

These cards are a sort of urban legend. If you Google around you can find pictures. Other boards have posted copies, although all are quite old and outdated. Essentially they're a business card of somebody who is / was fairly high in the food change in the Sindacatura office. So, the fact that the cards existed, or perhaps still exist, isn't a legend.

The legend part comes in when you hear of the card's mystical powers. The cops, when frisking you and going through your wallet, are supposed to throw up their hands and shout "Ay, yi, yi yi. Madre de Dios!" and immediately give you back all your stuff and apologize profusely. OK, I'm being a bit facetious, but not much. Allegedly possession of the card shows you're somehow connected to friends in high places. Whenever you hear of such magical powers, it's always a friend of a friend, whose 2nd cousin twice removed, once heard from a reliable source in a bar, that it happened to him and that's how he got out of paying a mordida.

Unfortunately, there are zero credible reports of anybody getting out of a mordida attempt by flashing a Sindacatura card. If anybody has a link to a post from a trusted forum member, please post it.

Your best bet, if you're ever stopped, is to keep your money in your hand at all times. Be polite but firm. Do not offer a bribe. If they ask, resist or negotiate, depending on the circumstances. Always carry pesos if at all possible. And never get caught riding dirty. Do not wander the streets drunk. Do not carry drugs. Never leave a club with an open container. Act like you're a guest in somebody's house, because that's exactly what you are.

[Dogers69]

The Zona is Tijuana's biggest sources of foreign revenue. !! So it is very unlikely they will outlaw it.

I doubt zona is the biggest source of money. Most of that money goes to woman who spend 95% of it in other cities anyway. Probably factories and medical tourism is Tijuana biggest source of income.

[Daytonamonger]

These cards are a sort of urban legend. If you Google around you can find pictures. Other boards have posted copies, although all are quite old and outdated. Essentially they're a business card of somebody who is / was fairly high in the food change in the Sindacatura office. So, the fact that the cards existed, or perhaps still exist, isn't a legend.


Unfortunately, there are zero credible reports of anybody getting out of a mordida attempt by flashing a Sindacatura card. If anybody has a link to a post from a trusted forum member, please post it.

Your best bet, if you're ever stopped, is to keep your money in your hand at all times. Be polite but firm. Do not offer a bribe. If they ask, resist or negotiate, depending on the circumstances. Always carry pesos if at all possible. And never get caught riding dirty. Do not wander the streets drunk. Do not carry drugs. Never leave a club with an open container. Act like you're a guest in somebody's house, because that's exactly what you are.

The cards are not an urban legend. They were made by members of another web board that's only demographic was Tijuana. The truth is anyone with a printer and a tiny bit of Desktop Publishing experience can make an updated card from the information and photos posted on the sindacatura. Gob. Mx site.

There may not be any credible reports on this board simply because this board apparently just now heard of the "Sindacatura Card" because I posted about it a few days ago. But there were credible reports on the previous website about being cut loose without being robbed on the other board. Now that being said the Card may. Or may not have been the reason for being cut loose but it definitely helps to let them know if they act out of sorts you do know how to report them.

As for your best bet. 100 % spot on Sir. The end of the day you are a guest in their country. Don't be a jerk, but don't be a simp either. Politely stand your ground and remember that if you are "riding dirty" and you pay your way out of it that it's not a rip off it's actually a benefit to you because chances are the penalty for the actual crime might be a whole lot worse.

[Hargow20]

The Zona is Tijuana's biggest sources of foreign revenue. !! So it is very unlikely they will outlaw it.

You guys act like they have to have prostitution downtown. The government could easily say take it to the internet. We are tired of policing this area with national guard. You know how easy it would be to make prostitution illegal on the street and all clubs, pave all those streets and make it look like the hotel Caesar's area. He would be gone overnight.

[TjBrazil]

You guys act like they have to have prostitution downtown. The government could easily say take it to the internet. We are tired of policing this area with national guard. You know how easy it would be to make prostitution illegal on the street and all clubs, pave all those streets and make it look like the hotel Caesar's area. He would be gone overnight.

[Phordphan]

What is the advantage of having these cards?

Can you please DM me or post here what the sindicatura cards look like?

These cards are a sort of urban legend. If you Google around you can find pictures. Other boards have posted copies, although all are quite old and outdated. Essentially they're a business card of somebody who is / was fairly high in the food change in the Sindacatura office. So, the fact that the cards existed, or perhaps still exist, isn't a legend.

The legend part comes in when you hear of the card's mystical powers. The cops, when frisking you and going through your wallet, are supposed to throw up their hands and shout "Ay, yi, yi yi. Madre de Dios!" and immediately give you back all your stuff and apologize profusely. OK, I'm being a bit facetious, but not much. Allegedly possession of the card shows you're somehow connected to friends in high places. Whenever you hear of such magical powers, it's always a friend of a friend, whose 2nd cousin twice removed, once heard from a reliable source in a bar, that it happened to him and that's how he got out of paying a mordida.

Unfortunately, there are zero credible reports of anybody getting out of a mordida attempt by flashing a Sindacatura card. If anybody has a link to a post from a trusted forum member, please post it.

Your best bet, if you're ever stopped, is to keep your money in your hand at all times. Be polite but firm. Do not offer a bribe. If they ask, resist or negotiate, depending on the circumstances. Always carry pesos if at all possible. And never get caught riding dirty. Do not wander the streets drunk. Do not carry drugs. Never leave a club with an open container. Act like you're a guest in somebody's house, because that's exactly what you are.

[Nothing24]

Are you a Gringo?

That would be a no sir.

[Dogers69]

I have not been bothered by the National guard soldiers or have seen them bother any American's. They are mainly after dealers & cartel members as as keep the peace.

What makes anyone think the national guard members are there to keep the peace? I'm not a expert but I have never gotten the feeling that they are there to make horny drunk gri go's safer as they hit up bars, and working girls in the street. To me, and from the looks of things, they are there to stake claim to a famous active street in Tijuana to make a point to the cartels etc who runs Mexico. That's the vibe they give me. And I see them bothering people all the time and I do t know if the people they are questioning are Americans or not. Personally I don't feel safe with them. If a shootout goes down those guns are gona shoot a lot innocent bystanders like the Kansas city chiefs super bow parade disaster.

[Hargow20]

Can someone post a picture of the card?

Here is some useful links I found:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/BajaSindicatura/

http://www.sindicatura.gob.mx/#/ default.

The office of sinductura is where you would go to file a complaint regarding any issue you may have with a cop in Tijuana.

So the belief is during a search the cop may see your sindicatura card and back off from stealing or hassling you out of fear you might be in the know on reporting him. While I can't say if it works or not. I carry one but have not had any issues yet with the police while carrying the card.

By the way the one I carry is fake, but the belief is most cops won't know they will just see the word sindicatura. I guess now I would be curious to know if anybody has had success carrying the card.

[Baxter Slade]

What is the advantage of having these cards?

Can you please DM me or post here what the sindicatura cards look like?

The office of sinductura is where you would go to file a complaint regarding any issue you may have with a cop in Tijuana.

So the belief is during a search the cop may see your sindicatura card and back off from stealing or hassling you out of fear you might be in the know on reporting him. While I can't say if it works or not. I carry one but have not had any issues yet with the police while carrying the card.

By the way the one I carry is fake, but the belief is most cops won't know they will just see the word sindicatura. I guess now I would be curious to know if anybody has had success carrying the card.

[Hargow20]

I have noticed that there is always National guard soldiers on the Tijuana river. The govt also installed fences on both side with barbed wire to keep people out. There used to be some homeless there as well. My guess is that the govt wants to keep the migrants from congregating in that area. People were getting robbed on the pedestrian bridge. So I guess keeping people away cuts down on crime as well.

[Enter The V]

Was walking on Constitucion late last night checking out the girls by hotel Irma and a bunch of national guardsmen on foot were walking in my direction. Just when I thought the last ones were about to pass me one of them on the tail end asked what I was up to. I told him I was just about to head home. He asked if I was drunk and I said no. He then asked if I had any drugs or weapons on me and I said no as well. He then called another one over and they had me face the wall and told me to empty my pockets. I held my phone and wallet in my hand. I had a little under $100 on me since I had already sessioned with a bar chica. One of the guards went through my wallet pretty thoroughly. Once they saw I had nothing illegal on me they gave me my stuff back and told me to continue on my way. Of course the first thing I did was check to see if all my money was in my wallet and thankfully it was. They really had no reason to inspect me like that though since I didn't look suspicious at all, in my opinion. Ironically there were a couple drug dealers about twenty feet to the south of me yelling "cuantos cuantos" out in the open at the time this happened. Those are the people they should be checking on, not people who are obviously down there just for some pussy. If this happens to you just remain calm and respectful and everything should turn out fine as long as you don't have anything illegal on you.

Are you a Gringo?

[Rambo1969]

If I'm going to spend more time in the zona I may have to print up some fake sindicatura cards and carry them in my wallet like I used to do. I think I was lucky this time and I got two of the more honest cops in Tijuana. I might not be so lucky next time.
Has anyone ever been acosted by the National Guard Presence that's been inhabiting the area as of late?

What is the advantage of having these cards?

Can you please DM me or post here what the sindicatura cards look like?

[Nothing24]

Was walking on Constitucion late last night checking out the girls by hotel Irma and a bunch of national guardsmen on foot were walking in my direction. Just when I thought the last ones were about to pass me one of them on the tail end asked what I was up to. I told him I was just about to head home. He asked if I was drunk and I said no. He then asked if I had any drugs or weapons on me and I said no as well. He then called another one over and they had me face the wall and told me to empty my pockets. I held my phone and wallet in my hand. I had a little under $100 on me since I had already sessioned with a bar chica. One of the guards went through my wallet pretty thoroughly. Once they saw I had nothing illegal on me they gave me my stuff back and told me to continue on my way. Of course the first thing I did was check to see if all my money was in my wallet and thankfully it was. They really had no reason to inspect me like that though since I didn't look suspicious at all, in my opinion. Ironically there were a couple drug dealers about twenty feet to the south of me yelling "cuantos cuantos" out in the open at the time this happened. Those are the people they should be checking on, not people who are obviously down there just for some pussy. If this happens to you just remain calm and respectful and everything should turn out fine as long as you don't have anything illegal on you.