BajaNomad

San Felipe Military Check Point, gringo focus!

CortezBlue - 4-2-2013 at 08:49 AM

On the way north Easter Sunday, we apporached the military check point to find about 1/4 mile line. Initially I was disappointed and thinking that this was going to take a while. I noticed that the line was moving very fast. As we got closer, maybe 5 minutes wait, it was obvious that we were being profiled. The gringos were going to the 2 far left lanes and the Mexican's were going to a single right lane.

As we approached the soldier he looked at us and waved us through.

However, the Mexicans were stretched about 8 to 10 cars deep and all of their camping gear and clothing was being removed from the cars and being searched, in great detail.

Since the new Presidente has come into office, I have noticed that there have been many changes at the check points.

1. They closed the checkpoint near San Luis

2. We get waved through on the way down to San Felipe.

I know that he has been talking about boosting tourism, and maybe this is all related that that??

durrelllrobert - 4-2-2013 at 09:41 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by CortezBlue
On the way north Easter Sunday, we apporached the military check point to find about 1/4 mile line. Initially I was disappointed and thinking that this was going to take a while. I noticed that the line was moving very fast. As we got closer, maybe 5 minutes wait, it was obvious that we were being profiled. The gringos were going to the 2 far left lanes and the Mexican's were going to a single right lane.

As we approached the soldier he looked at us and waved us through.

However, the Mexicans were stretched about 8 to 10 cars deep and all of their camping gear and clothing was being removed from the cars and being searched, in great detail.

Since the new Presidente has come into office, I have noticed that there have been many changes at the check points.

1. They closed the checkpoint near San Luis

2. We get waved through on the way down to San Felipe.

I know that he has been talking about boosting tourism, and maybe this is all related that that??

I've noticed that too. At the first military check point at the first toll plaza heading north out of Ensenada they are pulling over cars with MX plates and waving those with US plates through.

Bajajorge - 4-2-2013 at 09:58 AM

Why bother gringos at the military check points? There's no money to be made for Mexico there. Now when you talk residential and tourist visas, you're talking money for Mexico from the gringos.
All this new No Immigrante, Permanente, etc etc is really how they screw with the gringos and make money in the process.
June 1st, 2013 should be really humorous on this subject. You get a different answer from every consulate, each Immigrante office and an assortment of answers from the visa service folks around each town.:?::?:

Bajafun777 - 4-3-2013 at 09:45 AM

When we drove down to Los Mochis and then on to Maztalan this past February we had no military checks for anyone, we had a Federal Police stop looking at cars to see window sticker and they were really checking this again before you got into Los Mochis. We too were waived through since we had the sticker on the window shield. Coming back one big military check just outside of Hermosillo but with the big x-ray machine our bags were checked quickly and I got to reload them back into the SUV. LOL Still, nothing big, as it delayed me about 30 minutes as they were also checking other cars in front of me. Thankfully it was not summer would have been an experience, LOL. I did see more Federal Police on the Toll roads than times past as we make this trip just about every year for the past 10 years.

My last run down to Rosarito, I really liked that the military check point coming back into Rosarito from Las Gaviotas was not opened. This will make for quick runs back into town when I get back down in June, YEA!! It does seem like the military is going into other operations but again seeing more Federal Police on the roads is not a bad thing either. Take Care & Travel Safe----- "No Hurry, No Worry, Just FUN" bajafun777

vgabndo - 4-3-2013 at 12:11 PM

I noticed that the Mexicans were getting looked-over pretty well northbound, and we were actually waved through about half the time in March. NB used to almost always mean a look in the camper. The only surprise inspection was a mid-morning Federale one-truck inspection at the "on ramp" southbound out of Guerrero Negro. Unless those guys were looking for something bigger than a refrigerator, they did a lousy job!:?: