General Reports

[QUOTE=BaxterSlade;3042828]I might have to disagree with Sol on this one. Do you really believe the policia are trying to clean up the streets while hoping to find drugs on you when they are making these stops of single males in the north zone? Of course that's there excuse they use. I need to search you for drugas. As they search you in hopes of finding anything they claim to be illegal so they can extract a bribe. And if they don't find an excuse for a bribe the really crooked ones will just steal money right out of your pocket.

Now if the purpose of all these stops was to clean up the streets all they would have to do is have someone in plain clothes order lunch on the Azul balcony. And before they could even place their order they would know who is selling the drugs and by the end of lunch they would have a good idea who is buying the drugs.[/QUOTE]Bad first thanks for being an intelligent individual that know me how to debate a person without just calling a person names and refusing to answer the questions that are asked if you.

So in my post I was trying to explain that IMO the Christmas bribe is not true. Cops will take the opportunity to stop single males coming or going from the ZN anytime of the year and they suddenly don't have permission from the city to go ahead and steal from "gringos" because it's Christmas and you need to get gifts.

So yes I would say the cops are stopping people coming or going from the ZN looking for drugs or weapons. My question to you is do you actually think the ZN doesn't have a large amount of tourists that are also in that area to get drugs because I've meet plenty of guys that are into drugs in ZN along with banging the girls.

Now my post you mentioned and this post I stated that my view was single guys coming and going to the ZN from Centro. Now I do everything in my power to stay out of the alley since it has nothing to offer be but the worst of society. The way the "tolerance zone" has always been explained to me was not only for prostitution but the police look the other way on the drug dealing and buying as long as those individuals stay in that area. When I look at the news I often see the police going into other parts of the city and arresting drug dealers and very seldom if ever the same thing happens in the ZN. So I still believe it's not a top priority to police in that area. Now of course I know they hope to catch some tourist with drugs to get a pay off because they know the tourist doesn't want to go to jail. So to me if your a tourist that is dumb enough to carry drugs you get what you deserve.

I personally have never been stopped by police in the ZN but I usually only walk from HK, to TB and CC. Now I have been stopped on the outskirts of the ZN as either coming or going but once I was driving and had been drinking and they let me go because they had another call. The other time I was walking to the ZN from Centro and they did a quick check and let me go. Oh and once I was asked by that fake cop guy in the alley while I was sitting in one of the alcoves while a former friend that mainly did SG was looking for someone. So if the cops wanted to steal or rob from me they easily could have but they haven't so I'm somewhat skeptical when I hear some of those stories here. I know you've had different experiences that I don't doubt but I also don't think it increases in December which was my original point.

As far as the increased police activity I mentioned they have plenty of articles in the news about it I will gladly post if you want. Also the city will often put out stats on how many individuals have been arrested and for the various crimes to show the public that they are doing something. And as far as the corruption goes if your a tourist think it's only tourists the police had two major issues recently of corrupt cops that were against Tijuana citizens just to prove that they don't only target tourists. Which again was what I was originally trying to explain and wasn't trying to say that the police don't take bribes.

All fair points, BS. However,

They know who is selling. We all know who is selling. However, going after the supplier is not something a beat officer or top bureaucrat has the stones for. Cartel control is not unique to the zona. But it's reality.

The other quibble I have with your argument: I do think it is fair to assume drug consumption and possession is higher in zona norte than other areas of the city. So targeting pedestrians in the zona does have some logic.

Now, are their intentions pure? I suspect yes and no. A good police officer knows an increase in the presence of drugs leads to increases in other issues. Are there good officers in Tijuana? Presumably, yes. Are there officers that see it as supplemental personal income? Yes. We can't paint all of them with the same brush for better or for worse. Personally, I've been stopped, searched and robbed by a scumbag officer. And I've been stopped, searched and released without any incident.

Just my two cents.

[QUOTE=BaxterSlade;3042828]I might have to disagree with Sol on this one. Do you really believe the policia are trying to clean up the streets while hoping to find drugs on you when they are making these stops of single males in the north zone? Of course that's there excuse they use. I need to search you for drugas. As they search you in hopes of finding anything they claim to be illegal so they can extract a bribe. And if they don't find an excuse for a bribe the really crooked ones will just steal money right out of your pocket.

Now if the purpose of all these stops was to clean up the streets all they would have to do is have someone in plain clothes order lunch on the Azul balcony. And before they could even place their order they would know who is selling the drugs and by the end of lunch they would have a good idea who is buying the drugs.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=BaxterSlade;3042828]

Now if the purpose of all these stops was to clean up the streets all they would have to do is have someone in plain clothes order lunch on the Azul balcony. And before they could even place their order they would know who is selling the drugs and by the end of lunch they would have a good idea who is buying the drugs.[/QUOTE]Very True. Yesterday afternoon I was there for lunch and was watching cars pull up and buy drugs from some chick wearing what looked like pajamas.

This has been going on for years. I even saw police and Mexican marines in the alley as this was going on.