Tulum Building Seized in Environmental Crime Probe

Tulum, Quintana Roo — The State Attorney General's Office of Quintana Roo has secured the Adamar Solimán building, located in Tulum, as part of an investigation into probable environmental crimes allegedly committed by the project's developers. The procedure, carried out by ministerial agents attached to the Mixed Unit of Tulum of the State Attorney General's Office, occurred this past Tuesday in the coastal zone of Tankah IV, facing Solimán Bay, approximately 10 kilometers north of the Tulum municipal seat.

Investigation into Environmental Violations

Sources confirmed that the action was motivated by environmental complaints and the breach of official closure seals imposed by the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa). The project's developers had refused to halt construction work, despite also facing court orders from amparo lawsuits. The case file number is FGE/QROO/TUL/07/1009/2025. With this action, the building has been placed under the custody of the attorney general's office while investigations continue.

According to photographic evidence, the seal was placed on the west side of the property, where until a few days ago, workers had been entering materials and executing work to complete the seven-story tower intended for condominium use.

"The latest update, as of today, is that the workers did not show up. Evidently, because the construction site was secured by the State Attorney General's Office and, therefore, there cannot be a breach of seals because that would clearly imply a crime," explained Irma Morales Cruz, a lawyer for the civil association Defendiendo el Derecho a un Medio Ambiente Sano (DMAS).

A Longstanding Legal Dispute

The case dates back to late 2023, when residents observed the start of construction of the building on a coastal ecosystem that serves as an important nesting ground for sea turtles, as it is located within the area of influence of the Xcacel-Xcacelito Sea Turtle Sanctuary. Despite complaints, amparo lawsuits, and various legal procedures initiated by citizens and the civil association DMAS, the company Desarrollos Tulum Dieciséis has refused to stop construction work on the building.

The building is subject to a court order requesting its demolition, a procedure that is currently under appeal in federal courts.