Seven Arrested in Puerto Aventuras Taxi Extortion Ring Bust

Cozumel, Quintana Roo — Seven people accused of extorting taxi drivers in Puerto Aventuras and selling drugs in the area have been arrested, Quintana Roo Attorney General Raciel López Salazar announced Monday.

Speaking at the weekly security cabinet news conference in Cozumel, López Salazar said the suspects formed a criminal cell that demanded a payment of 400 pesos per day from every taxi driver in Puerto Aventuras, a district of Playa del Carmen.

Suspects Arrested in Two Locations

Three suspects were taken into custody in Puerto Aventuras: José Benjamín, 40, a native of Tabasco; Luis Roberto, 29, from Guerrero; and Kevin Adrián, 24, also from Tabasco.

Four more were detained in Akumal, which falls under the municipality of Tulum: Natanael, known as “El Fresa”; Carlos Alberto, known as “Tortuga”; Ingrid Guadalupe; and Yaritza.

Officers seized drugs, two firearms and several cellphones from the second group.

Arson and Homicide Under Investigation

Investigators believe “El Fresa” oversaw drug sales in both communities and led the extortion network targeting Puerto Aventuras taxi drivers.

To pressure drivers into paying, authorities say, the group set fire to the offices of the local taxi union and torched a taxi on a dirt road near the community of Los Sauces.

López Salazar said the suspects are also under investigation in the homicide of Luis Esteban.