Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama has activated a comprehensive school safety strategy following recent incidents involving alleged drug sales and consumption at educational facilities in Playa del Carmen.
The governor confirmed that the cases are being analyzed by the State Security Council with an intelligence-based approach and strict adherence to human rights protocols. Lezama emphasized that protecting children and adolescents is the “highest priority.”
Alarming Cases in Playa del Carmen
The first incident led to the arrest of five people, including four minors, near a secondary school after a student bravely reported suspicious activity. Authorities seized approximately 650 doses of marijuana in a nearby park.
In a separate case, police arrested a teacher from Technical Secondary School 36 who is under investigation for corruption of minors. The arrest followed an incident where three students experienced hallucinations, vomiting, and fainting after consuming candy that was allegedly contaminated.
Prevention and Family Responsibility
Lezama stressed that prevention is a “titanic task” that begins at home. The state strategy includes:
- Preventive patrols: Coordinated surveillance between state and municipal authorities around school environments
- Intelligence units: Targeted monitoring of reports about drug sales
- Direct communication: Ongoing campaigns at schools to encourage reporting culture
Drug Consumption in Southern Mexico
Despite recent alerts, data from the 2025 National Drug Consumption Survey indicates that Mexico’s southern region maintains substance use levels among adolescents aged 12 to 17 below the national average. For example, alcohol consumption in the last month in this zone is just 2.8%, significantly lower than the country’s average.
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