Juanita - 12-11-2019 at 07:22 PM
Juanita - 12-11-2019 at 07:27 PM
Just had a report from a woman traveling alone southbound at the San Ignacio checkpoint. The policeman claimed to have found a small bag of marijuana
seeds in her purse and tried repeatedly to get her to take it in her hands. He hassled her extensively and threw her belongings around. I'll get a
longer report from her tomorrow. I encountered perhaps this same policeman at the checkpoint a couple of days ago and he was very unfriendly, went
through my purse while muttering 'let's see if I can find marijuana here'. He was clearly enjoying trying to intimidate me.
David K - 12-11-2019 at 07:46 PM
Hi Juanita, is this a local cop or federal, and was he at the military stop or somewhere else?
JZ - 12-11-2019 at 07:55 PM
Hmmm. Op has been on here for a long time. So I think we should listen up.
We went through there about 10 days ago. They made us get out of the car, which doesn't happen often. I had my friend keep a close watch on the
search while I walked the dog.
DaliDali - 12-11-2019 at 08:20 PM
I believe every word of what Juanita says.
There is one soldier there who is pure poison and I have had to deal with him two times.
The second time I wrote an email to the commandante with photos.
Buddy of mine got the same rude and arrogant attitude only a day before.
He relayed the same treatment.....
Photos won't post here
Beware......seriously
BajaBlanca - 12-11-2019 at 08:23 PM
Jeez. This is horrible.
Paco Facullo - 12-11-2019 at 08:46 PM
Like I said in another thread "It is X-mas time and the Cops need more $$$ for their wife's, children, novia's and booze....
4x4abc - 12-11-2019 at 08:58 PM
San Ignacio Checkpoint. All Complaints should go to the commandante 16/a. ZONA MILITAR.
CUARTEL GENERAL 16/a. Z.M. (SARABIA, GTO.).
01800-8311473
denuncia.16zm@mail.sedena.gob.mx
615.160.1183 - 16cine@sedena.gob.mx
I have written several complaints - they do read them and sometimes respond.
The more you write the comandante and vent less on BajaNomad, the more likely we will see positive change
Lee - 12-11-2019 at 09:18 PM
Military in camis. Local in blue.
JohnGaltSpeaking - 12-11-2019 at 10:11 PM
this checkpoint is clearly the most infamous in all of baja even if half the stories are true. i am curious as to one thing though and maybe some
members could give their thoughts on this...
so is all of this crap happening to nationals as well or is it just directed towards foreigners? maybe these guys just have it in for americans.
AguaDulce - 12-12-2019 at 05:35 AM
Late November southbound, the officer in blue clothes asked me 5 or 6 times "where is the marijuana?" during my 20 minute search. He seemed to be
working with the military guys to get some money. He made me empty my pockets, asked me how much money I made, what year is my truck. Looking for
anything for a shakedown. Northbound a week later , I was waived through.
Juanita - 12-12-2019 at 08:08 AM
I sure appreciate your responses! The northbound checkpoint is staffed by the military, and they are doing a careful and respectful job so far as I
know and have experienced. The southbound checkpoint is staffed by a different group, I think they are the federal highway police. That checkpoint
was reinforced and the federal presence added a couple of years ago when a lot of drug violence was occurring here. Before that, the military would
walk across and mostly wave you through. We're going to report at the Delegacion (Mayor's office) here today. I think the idea of contacting the
tourism office is good, too, and the military as well.
Juanita - 12-12-2019 at 07:09 PM
Well, we went to the Lieutenant of the military there at the San Ignacio checkpoint and the woman who experienced the attempted marijuana plant in her
car gave her report to him, with me as translator and a local friend to assist us. He listened well and appropriately and was most apologetic that
such a thing had occurred. The woman giving the report was very brave to do it because the offending man, a military, was standing nearby all the
time and watching. She did finally point him out. Since they had registered her and her car as she crossed the checkpoint they knew who had been on
duty and acknowledged who it was. We completed the report and departed politely.
The lieutenant wanted to emphasize it is important to report such an event immediately to the supervising officer. The woman had thought of that
while being hassled and asked to see 'his boss,' but he said he was the boss. I guess the only thing she could have done at the time was lock her car
up and walk over to the military post on the other side, but that's a lot to ask of someone being hassled that way.
As we made the report I watched how the southbound lane was handled. A military person, dressed in camo, first searches the cars for drugs and then a
federal policeman, dressed in dark blue, takes the data on his clipboard. The military look for arms and drugs and the federal police are looking for
stolen cars. The offending officer in our incident was military. Possibly, the courage the woman showed will lead to change and save other visitors
from such a miserable experience.
[Edited on 3-10-2020 by Juanita]
BajaParrothead - 12-12-2019 at 07:15 PM
Thank you for the followup. You and your friend are brave, but this is what it will take to get the bad apples out of that basket!!
Thanks again 
JZ - 12-12-2019 at 07:21 PM
At one of the check points going South bound 3 weeks ago they asked for my truck registration and passport. I can't say for certain, but it had to be
that one.
Paco Facullo - 12-12-2019 at 07:27 PM
Well, she just ruined that Military Man's X-mas and his wife, children y novia are going to disembowel him...
But seriously, you both did a great thing as I'm sure many other law abiding citizens have been seriously dramatized by that scummy ass-hat of a
Military man..
[Edited on 12-13-2019 by Paco Facullo]
Mulege Canuck - 12-12-2019 at 08:02 PM
That took some guts!
Thank you very much for doing that.
advrider - 12-12-2019 at 08:26 PM
Nice follow up, and good on both of you for taking the time and effort. I've only had good interactions, but one day it might happen?
Howard - 12-12-2019 at 09:35 PM
Even though I have never been hassled at this or any other stop, I commend all of you for doing this. It takes a lot of courage to do such a thing
and once again, thank you.
mtgoat666 - 12-12-2019 at 09:37 PM
At a small post like SI checkpoint, grunt soldiers don’t threaten and scam travelers w/o the command knowing what is going on. Unfortunately, If
the command is already aware, then complaining to the command is probably pointless...
I do like the idea of locking the vehicle and protesting loudly until the shakedown stops...
ridendude - 1-5-2020 at 12:13 PM
We went through yesterday (south), fully expecting a hassle. FJ Cruiser with a military trailer. Myself, partner and perro enohado. We were just waved
through like everyone else both North and Southbound. Maybe it was the BC (Canada) plates and the plastic skeleton and skull on the dash...??
AKgringo - 1-5-2020 at 03:29 PM
Perro enohado? That doesn't translate to anything for me, how about enojado? My 90 pound dog is not angry, or even protective, but I get waved
through most of the time anyway.
ridendude - 1-6-2020 at 04:03 PM
AK, my misspelling. Perrito Enojado. Angry little dog. He's a 17lb miniature schnauzer that thinks he's 10 feet tall and bulletproof and has a problem
with everybody. He's the happiest and most chill little dog around, until there's somebody else around. We got him as a SPCA rescue, so he's got some
issues.
AKgringo - 1-6-2020 at 04:24 PM
'Bravo' is the word I have heard used to describe a protective, or aggressive dog.
San Ignacio check point
hdn2mx - 3-9-2020 at 08:37 PM
Around Feb 18/19 a young couple, good friends of mine, who were driving south to Cabo, had the same thing happen. They had spent about 2 weeks in Baja
Norte exploring/surfing and when they drove through the checkpoint, they were asked to pull over. They were in a van, fully packed, just the 2 of
them, had to unpack their vehicle and then one of the military produced a small bag of weed and said it was theirs. Scared the heck out of them, they
don't even smoke. They ended up paying some money to get released and were able to continue south. Needless to say, after 11 days around Cabo, they
were stressed out thinking of heading north back through the San Ignacio check point. After a quick Conejo stop and driving through San Juanico,
taking the north way out of there, they made it safely through San Ignacio without any hassles. Just a heads up...be safe!
Lee - 3-9-2020 at 08:56 PM
I"ve written this before. Here's the short version:
driving down with a friend who followed me in his car through this checkpoint. My dog was sick, and dying, and I was sick with a cold, had
aspirin/sinus OTC meds on dash. 3 guys went through everything, very detailed, did not have me unpack car. When friend (MX) drove through behind
me, he asked them what's up. One said they smelled pot but couldn't find it. (I had roasted coffee so that and the windows up for hours, plus
sickness, made for a gnarly smell, I guess.)
Once going N., last toll before TJ, an impromptu checkpoint flagged me over after the toll. One guy went through my car saying ''mota, mota,
where's the mota?'' I said, and kept saying I have no mota. He said ''yes you have mota. Where is the mota?'' Kept saying you're wrong, I
have no mota. Lasted for 15 minutes or so. He finally gave up.
ElCap - 3-10-2020 at 09:40 PM
I went through southbound on 2/16/20 and had another unpleasant experience. We waited about 30 minutes while they went through 2 different vans ahead
of us, each had just a single occupant. They finally pulled them off to the side as there was at least 5 big rig trucks and a handful of vehicles
backed up. The guy who searched my truck (I was with my wife and dog, and a full truck of camping gear, surfboards, etc.) was generally pretty rude,
opened multiple bags, didn't return items to bags or zip them up. He really liked a bottle opener on my keychain - it was made from a brass bullet
casing. He kept going back to hold it and looking at me. I speak decent spanish and told him it was made by my Mexican friend who was in the Mexican
military, and that he couldn't have it - this went on for a while. They let us through and I rolled up next to the guy in the van and he said that
they planted a bag of white powder in his van - he was absolutely panicked. I told him to just keep saying "no tengo drogas" and don't pay any money.
I did see him later that evening in the SI plaza - he was rattled but said that he was finally let to pass and didn't pay any money. He was a
long-haired guy in his 20's, traveling alone and with little or no Spanish - evidently a perfect target.