Playa del Carmen Tourist Police Allege Harassment, Nepotism, and Misconduct

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — A group of Tourist Police officers has anonymously accused the corporation’s leadership of workplace harassment, corruption, and favoritism following the recent case of a fisherman who died while in custody. The officers say they fear retaliation from superiors and therefore chose not to reveal their identities.

According to the officers, current commanders lack experience and were placed in their posts because of personal connections rather than professional merit. They cite as an example a deputy director identified by the call sign “Pegaso,” who was reportedly investigated after a drunk-driving crash but has since been reinstated in a command role. The complainants allege he pressures officers to carry out arbitrary detentions and even plant drugs on people, boasting of political connections that make him “untouchable.”

The officers also describe a hostile environment for women within the force. They claim Pegaso favored a female cadet with special privileges, including extended breaks during work hours and the use of a patrol vehicle with a designated driver.

Regarding the recent incident tied to the fisherman’s death, the officers allege that one of the policemen implicated in the reported theft of the victim’s cellphone is Pegaso’s nephew and, despite video evidence, will face no more than a verbal warning.

The complainants further name a commander identified as “Yeraldin,” who has only three years in the corporation, alleging she is connected to the two deaths recorded in recent months and is closely aligned with top brass.

Finally, the officers accuse Tourist Police Director Osiris N. and his inner circle of favoring relatives and friends for key posts. They say inexperienced cadets have been elevated to positions of responsibility—evidence, in their view, of the inexperience and ineptitude of those charged with safeguarding both the public and the rank-and-file.

Editor’s note: These are allegations made anonymously by current officers. The claims could not be independently verified at the time of publication.