Quintana Roo to Regulate Addiction Centers After Vida Valhalla Case

Chetumal, Quintana Roo — The state government will impose new regulations on addiction treatment centers, including mandatory registration and standardized oversight, after a Chetumal clinic was shut down over allegations that patients were abused and extorted.

The action follows a police raid on the Vida Valhalla rehabilitation center, where authorities freed 43 people. Relatives of patients had reported physical mistreatment, degrading conditions, and economic extortion.

“We have made substantial progress on an agreement for self-regulation and registration, so that all centers are in order,” said Cristina Torres Gómez, the state government secretary, referring to the new operating rules.

As part of the plan, authorities will supervise patient registries at the facilities, which are often linked to investigations into missing persons. The new protocols will be applied across all 11 municipalities, starting in Chetumal.

Authorities also reiterated that confining adults against their will in these centers is illegal, even when family members request it. Such actions can constitute unlawful deprivation of liberty.

Officials urged residents to report any irregularities or clandestine treatment centers to the authorities.