Cancún Drivers Forced to Pay Daily Extortion Fees

Cancún, Mexico — More than 2,000 van drivers in Cancún face daily extortion fees ranging from 200 to 500 pesos, imposed by groups calling themselves "managers" who control routes, bus stops, and access. This is occurring without an effective response from local authorities, according to operators of the units who requested anonymity.

It is estimated that between 60,000 and 120,000 pesos are collected daily, taking into account the number of vehicles, the "fees," and the number of times each operator passes by the bus stops.

A video recently went viral on social media, showing the "managers" harassing the driver of a Urvan who refused to pay the "right" to use the bus stop at Plaza Las Américas.

According to operators, this phenomenon, which has been entrenched for over a decade, involves irregular unions, route leaders, and criminal cells. They accused the absence of forceful operations and real vigilance of allowing crime to disguise itself as authority, undermining the rule of law and leaving citizens abandoned.

A Complex Organization

An informant explained that a very complex network operates in the public transportation bus stops, with an organized structure that even includes a leader, who at specific times comes by to collect the money.

They detailed that each driver pays between 20 and 40 pesos every time they arrive at or pass by a bus stop or the base. The main ones are at Plaza Las Américas, El Crucero, Ayuntamiento, the El Ceviche traffic circle, Kabah Avenue with José López Portillo, and Nichupté.

They reported that everything depends on the route: those with lower passenger flow pay 20 pesos, while those with higher flow, such as Cielo Nuevo, Paseos del Mar, Villas Otoch Paraíso, and the hotel zone, must pay fees of 40 pesos.

Based on the informant's version and official records, 2,100 Urvans from La Franja, Maya Caribe, and TTE, as well as 1,900 buses from Turicun, Autocar, and Bonfil, currently circulate daily in Cancún.

It is calculated that this business brings in between 60,000 and 120,000 pesos per day, meaning million-dollar sums per month.

Scale of the Operation and Official Data

There are 960 units that cover 47 routes. The so-called "combis" transport more than 7 million users monthly, according to the director of the State Land Transportation (TTE), Jorge Ayuso.

The daily collection is estimated to be between 60,000 and 120,000 pesos, becoming a multi-million peso business per month.

It is estimated that more than 120,000 daily public transportation users in Cancún live with the reality of extortion, facing the uncertainty of whether the next trip will end in aggression, a forced payment, or a service suspension.

The situation has worsened on key routes such as Región 100, Kabah, López Portillo, and Bonfil, where the "managers" have established fixed fees per unit, in addition to imposing arbitrary schedules and sanctions.

Official Response and Lack of Action

Some delegates claimed to be unaware of this problem, mentioning that they only found out when a user recorded the moment a man prevented people from boarding a unit at Plaza Las Américas.

However, drivers explained that on repeated occasions they have informed their employers that their pay no longer works out, as they must deduct the fees for the network of "checkers."

Faced with this situation, the authorities omitted giving a response; for users and drivers, the absence of effective operations and the lack of action by the Secretary of Citizen Security is noticeable, allowing crime to disguise itself as authority on the streets. Meanwhile, hundreds of drivers said they have to continue working under pressure.

The director of the TTE focused his discourse on the importance of strengthening security for operators and users, with more vigilance and enforcement of regulations, as well as collaboration with authorities, though he invited citizens to present complaints and proposals directly at the TTE offices in Región 92. "We are accountable to the user," he said.

On this topic, the State Attorney General's Office exhorted drivers to file formal complaints, as up to this moment there is no open investigation file for these extortions.