Shocking Extortion Scandal at Cancun Airport Sparks Outrage

A U.S. woman has reported an alleged extortion incident by customs officers at Cancun airport. The woman, a travel professional named Tammy Levent, expressed her concerns about the potential impact of such incidents on tourism in Mexico.

Levent, who is the owner of Elite Travel Management Group, shared her experience in a post on Travel Post. She explained that upon arriving at Cancun Airport, she was directed to the customs inspection desk. Initially, the officers attempted to charge her tax for some prizes she was carrying for an event.

"I explained to them that the prizes were personalized with names, making them of no commercial value," she wrote. "After realizing they couldn't tax me for the prizes, customs officials focused on the fact that I had a laptop and an iPad."

The officers informed Levent that she had exceeded the allowable limit for duty-free items, leading to a fine of $170, or approximately 3,200 Mexican pesos. Levent described the customs officer as unprofessional and aggressive, threatening her with fines of up to $1,000 or even arrest when she requested to contact the U.S. Embassy.

"Fearing for my safety and not understanding the charges against me, I reluctantly paid the fine and was allowed to leave the airport," she said.

Levent later contacted the General Director of Customs Operations in Mexico. She was told that the fine was justified under certain Mexican customs regulations. However, she pointed out that the value of her goods had been inflated by authorities, resulting in a much higher fine than was warranted.

"The value of my iPad was greatly inflated and the fine I paid exceeded what should have been a nominal charge," she wrote. "According to Mexican law, the tax rate on goods valued under $500 should not be more than 16 percent, which means that my fine should have been about $56, not the $170 they charged me."

Levent ended her account by expressing her concerns about the future of tourism in Mexico. She referenced reports from Riviera Maya News and Forbes, which suggest that such incidents are becoming increasingly common.

"If the Mexican Government needs additional income, there are far more transparent ways of achieving this goal, such as the implementation of a transparent and upfront tourist fee," she stated. "However, using customs laws to catch and extort visitors at the airport is not the solution. It creates a negative image of the country and discourages tourism, on which Mexico heavily relies."