US Tourists Accuse Tulum Police of Extortion in Traffic Stop

Tulum, Mexico — Four American tourists have publicly denounced alleged acts of extortion and abuse of authority by members of the Tulum Municipal Police, after being detained for several minutes under the pretext of an alleged traffic violation.

The incident was documented on social media, generating reactions to the conduct of the uniformed officers.

According to the testimony of those affected, one of the young men, identified on social media as “MK Calin,” recorded the moment when police officers stopped them while they were traveling on a road in the municipality. The images show how the officers kept the tourists detained without clearly explaining the reason for the infraction or showing documentation to support the sanction.

During the incident, the police allegedly attempted to take the visitors to a less crowded area, entering a dirt road, which generated fear among the young men, who refused to continue, considering that the situation posed a risk to their safety. Faced with the refusal, the officers decided to take them to the police station.

Once at the police facilities, the tourists reported that the alleged abuse continued. According to their account, they were taken in individually and pressured to pay an alleged fine, under the argument that card payments were not accepted and that the amount had to be covered exclusively in cash.

The complainants indicated that, according to the municipality’s Traffic Regulations, specifically in Article 70, the offense attributed to them only warrants a courtesy infraction, without contemplating the detention of the driver or the immediate demand for an economic payment, which would demonstrate a possible violation of the regulations themselves by the officers involved.

The case has generated concern among citizens and visitors, as it involves an international tourist destination where such accusations affect the perception of security and trust. So far, authorities have not reported whether there is an internal investigation, whether the police officers were identified, or whether administrative procedures have been initiated to clarify the reported events.

Meanwhile, the video continues to circulate on social media as a new accusation of alleged irregular practices in traffic and security operations in Tulum.