Seized Hotel in Quintana Roo to Become Addiction Rehabilitation Center

Chetumal, Quintana Roo — A hotel seized by authorities for its links to organized crime will be converted into a rehabilitation center for people struggling with addiction, state officials announced.

Hotel Luna Caribe, located on the outskirts of the state capital, is undergoing the first asset forfeiture process in Quintana Roo under the state’s new law. State Prosecutor Raciel López Salazar confirmed the property will be turned over to a nonprofit organization specializing in addiction treatment.

“The Hotel Luna Caribe will be dedicated to a social cause, for people facing problems with addiction to illegal drugs and alcohol,” López Salazar said during a security briefing at the state’s command center.

The prosecutor explained that the hotel was seized because it was linked to organized crime activities and will now be put to public use through an asset forfeiture process that allows authorities to repurpose properties connected to illegal activities.

The building will be leased to the nonprofit organization Centro de Rehabilitación Amor al Adicto Difícil y Reincidente A.C. (CRAADYR), which operates addiction treatment centers across Mexico.

“In other cases, when owners can prove the legality of their property and its disconnection from illegal activities, these are returned according to the law,” López Salazar said.

The new center will offer:

• Medical care
• Psychological attention
• Group therapy
• Addiction prevention counseling
• Occupational activities
• Spiritual services

While no specific opening date has been set, officials expect the center to begin operations soon.

Authorities seized Hotel Luna Caribe last September after linking it to a clandestine cigarette manufacturing operation with suspected international smuggling connections. During the raid, investigators found eight people from Nayarit who had been reported missing. Ongoing investigations also connect the location to organized crime-related homicides.

López Salazar emphasized that converting such properties serves a dual purpose: “These actions seek to give social value to spaces that were previously used for illegal purposes, particularly dedicating them to sensitive issues like addiction treatment.”

The prosecutor noted that addiction treatment centers are increasingly important as substance abuse has become a public health concern, providing support alternatives for vulnerable populations.