Prosecutors Detail Extortion Scheme Targeting Puerto Aventuras Street Vendors

Puerto Aventuras, Quintana Roo — Three municipal officials in Puerto Aventuras ran a weekly extortion scheme that squeezed roughly 80 street vendors, threatening to seize their merchandise or harm them if they refused to pay, state prosecutors said.

Raciel López Salazar, head of the Quintana Roo State Prosecutor’s Office, said the alleged ringleader was the town’s mayor, Gilberto, 61, who is accused of warning vendors that he would take their goods and belongings or hurt them unless they paid up.

Prosecutors say he worked with Karla Paola, the town’s director of Economic Development, and Jorge, 36, the mayor’s nephew, who served as deputy director of Culture and Sports.

Investigators believe the illegal collections began in October 2025.

Fear Kept Victims Silent

Fear of retaliation appears to have stopped other victims from filing complaints, so prosecutors have kept the investigation open to determine the full scope of the operation and whether anyone else was involved.

López Salazar said the case grew out of two files opened after victims came forward.

In one complaint, a fruit and vegetable vendor said municipal staff began demanding weekly payments in January 2026, threatening to confiscate his products and belongings or assault him if he did not comply.

The investigation also includes a complaint filed by a person linked to a digital news outlet who was reportedly deprived of their liberty, beaten and threatened with death.

According to López Salazar, evidence points to one of the main suspects leading the attacks, with another of the accused taking part.

The three officials, all originally from Veracruz, have been arrested in connection with the case.

Possible Link to Criminal Cell

Prosecutors are now trying to establish whether the detained officials have ties to a criminal cell whose members were arrested on October 1 in Puerto Aventuras and Akumal, a community in the municipality of Tulum.

Seven people were detained in that operation, allegedly under the command of a man identified as Natanael, who is accused of distributing drugs in the area and extorting public transportation workers in Puerto Aventuras.

López Salazar said the prosecutor’s office is continuing to build its case to clarify any possible connection between the two groups and to identify anyone else involved in the extortion payments.

He also signaled that other possible victims should come forward, given the likelihood that fear of reprisals kept many cases unreported for months.