Ex-Cancún Cop Arrested for Extorting Italian Tourist

Cancún, Quintana Roo — Agents from the State Attorney General’s Office executed an arrest warrant against a male individual, a former Municipal Traffic Police officer, for his alleged involvement in acts potentially constituting the crime of extortion against an Italian national.

The detainee has been identified as Ricardo “N,” who, along with two other officers, allegedly targeted the victim on the night of March 3 of this year. The incident occurred at the intersection of Uxmal and Nader avenues, where the officers, traveling in a patrol vehicle from the Benito Juárez Municipal Secretariat of Public Security and Traffic, signaled for the driver of a Mitsubishi vehicle—accompanied by a woman—to stop.

Extortion Under False Pretenses

After the driver complied, the officers allegedly forced him to exit the vehicle under the pretext of administering a breathalyzer test. They then reportedly demanded a payment of $200 USD, threatening to arrest both the driver and his passenger if he refused. Fearing detention, the victim agreed to hand over the money.

The officers then produced a bank terminal and processed two transactions from the victim’s credit card, totaling 659.89 euros (approximately 15,000 Mexican pesos). They subsequently requested a second card, claiming the payment needed to be split into three parts, and withdrew an additional 635.45 euros from a debit card.

Evidence and Arrest

The incident was corroborated through surveillance footage from the C5 monitoring system and private cameras, as well as an audio recording provided by the victim. Investigators also verified the officers’ work schedules, confirming all three were on duty at the time.

Following a formal complaint, the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Kidnapping and Extortion Crimes secured an arrest warrant for the three officers. On Tuesday, May 27, investigative police apprehended Ricardo “N,” who was subsequently handed over to the requesting authorities. His legal status will be determined within the timeframe established by law.