Playa del Carmen beaches Abandoned Amid Police Extortion Claims

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — More than six kilometers of coastline in Playa del Carmen remain abandoned and without police surveillance, posing risks to the safety of swimmers, tourists, and local residents, as well as hindering drowning prevention and emergency response, citizens have denounced. They also accused municipal police officers of engaging in extortion practices when visiting the beaches.

According to municipal Civil Protection, during the current holiday period there is an operation with 17 lifeguards patrolling beaches from Xcalacoco to the fiscal pier, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with the objective of assisting swimmers if necessary.

However, citizen Eric García González stated that police surveillance is practically non-existent for most of the year. He indicated that authorities should guarantee security permanently and not only during holiday seasons or when an emergency occurs, often with delays, which he described as concerning.

For his part, Josué Rodríguez Tun emphasized that police presence on beaches is fundamental to deter crimes, preserve public order, provide immediate attention to incidents, and protect visitors’ belongings. He added that adequate surveillance strengthens the tourist destination’s image and contributes to economic development, while also enabling compliance with civic norms such as responsible alcohol consumption.

In contrast, Carlos Mendoza denounced that some police officers descend to beaches only to extort swimmers, allegedly threatening to frame them for fabricated crimes if they don’t hand over money, even for simply consuming alcoholic beverages.

Finally, Pedro Sánchez Torres noted that police presence should generate confidence among both tourists and tourism sector workers; however, he stated that the municipal police force suffers from a poor perception, especially in the nautical sector, following a case in which officers were involved in the death of a fisherman, which he said remains unpunished.