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cupcake
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Bad Experience with Tijuana Police
A few days ago, on December 31, I crossed the border into Mexico at San Ysidro. My plan was to spend one night in Tijuana and then head south the next
day. I was walking the same route from the border to the Revolucion area of downtown that I have taken numerous times in the past. This is a
designated pedestrian walkway and takes about 10 minutes from the border to Revolucion. I have walked this route at all hours of day and night,
without ever having any problems. At one point, there is a ramp overpass, which spans busy roadways and the Tijuana River. It was 7pm and dark, but I
could see several men at the base of the ramp. I couldn't make them out clearly, but because of their numbers I decided it would be best to turn
around and take another route, fearing the possibility of being mugged. As soon as I turned around and began walking back the way I had come, several
men came running out from the darkened ramp area and surrounded me. It turned out they were police, conducting a checkpoint. They escorted me back
into the darkened area of the ramp and informed me (in good English) that because I had 'seen' the police and turned away from them, that this allowed
them to conduct a search of my person and belongings. I told them that I had thought they were robbers, because they had been in the dark and not
visible, and that if I had known they were police I would not have turned around. Telling them this was to no avail. I was told to take off my
backpack, and while this was being searched, I was told to put my hands on the wall. Then I was frisked for several minutes, with an officer going
through my pockets and feeling my arms and legs, continually asking if I had any weapons, and drugs, any Viagra, any cocaine. Then they had me put my
hands behind my back and continued to ask me the same questions: "where are you going, why did you 'run' from the police, where are your drugs". After
this, they asked several questions about items in my backpack: I told them "That is iodine for water purification, I am going hiking in the Catavina
area", "That is my GPS device for hiking". After this, they had me put my hands back on the wall and commenced to frisking me again. "Do you have any
Viagra, any cocaine?" This went on for quite some time and was unnerving, because so far they still had not found my money belt, which was inside my
pants and contained approximately $3,000 US (in pesos and dollars). I was concerned if they found that, I would be accused of being a drug dealer or
drug/money mule. I remained calm and pleasant through the entire experience, and was eventually let go and allowed to proceed on my way. Fortunately,
they never found my money belt.
I did spend a night in downtown Tijuana, at a hotel I have stayed at numerous times in the past, but I decided to cancel my trip the next morning. I
have made numerous trips across Mexico over the last 50 years, and nothing like this has happened to me before. The experience left me feeling like I
no longer wished to be in Mexico. Maybe this will change in time and see me willing to try again in the future. If there is a bright side to this, I
can report that as far as I know, nothing was taken from me during my encounter with the police. All my gear was accounted for at my hotel room, and
the 8,000 or so pesos I had in my fanny pack was still there.
[Edited on 1-4-2025 by cupcake]
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SFandH
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Quote: Originally posted by cupcake  | I can report that as far as I know, nothing was taken from me during my encounter with the police. All my gear was accounted for at my hotel room, and
the 8,000 or so pesos I had in my fanny pack was still there.
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Good to hear.
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Tioloco
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Cupcake- Thank you for the report. Could have ended a lot worse for you for sure. Unfortunately, police in Mexico have very little oversight and are
sadly often a wing of the cartel in their respective area. Dont get me wrong, I have had many positive encounters over the years with the police and a
few bad encounters. I think you were lucky to have escaped that without a $3,000 haircut at the minimum.
I do hope you can put this experience behind you and get back to enjoying the parts of Mexico you enjoy. It cant rain every day.
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cupcake
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Yes, I also am a 'glass half full' kind of traveler, so will likely be headed south again someday.
A $3,000 haircut is one thing, but over the years I've read accounts of people being detained for what appear to be minor infractions, and ending up
spending many thousands in legal fees to have their case settled. The thing is, these really expensive cases seem to involve instances where the cops
were honest, but the justice 'industry' was questionable. Then again, maybe the 'honest' cops in those really expensive cases were working on a
kickback percentage...
[Edited on 1-4-2025 by cupcake]
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stillnbaja
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I've had my share.....I'm ready to tap out and head back to Ventura. Baja just ain't the same
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Tioloco
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| Quote: Originally posted by cupcake | Yes, I also am a 'glass half full' kind of traveler, so will likely be headed south again someday.
A $3,000 haircut is one thing, but over the years I've read accounts of people being detained for what appear to be minor infractions, and ending up
spending many thousands in legal fees to have their case settled. The thing is, these really expensive cases seem to involve instances where the cops
were honest, but the justice 'industry' was questionable. Then again, maybe the 'honest' cops in those really expensive cases were working on a
kickback percentage...
[Edited on 1-4-2025 by cupcake] |
I have had a few trips to the police station/ jail to bail out friends who got into the legal spiderweb for minor offenses (some legitimate, some
not).
What I have seen is they are all in on the game at some level. Have seen officers pocket "fines" and I have seen a judge collect the fine, place it in
his desk drawer then 2 minutes later while we were still face to face he removed the money from his desk and placed it into his pocket.
Mexico justice just is what it is. You got lucky.
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lencho
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Viagra? That's weird. I believe it's available over the counter in Mexico.
Maybe they had a hot date and wanted to save a trip to the pharmacy. 
"I can normally tell how intelligent a man is, by how stupid he thinks I
am."
"...they were careful of their demeanor that they not be thought to have opinions on what they heard for like most men skilled at their work they
were scornful of any least suggestion of knowing anything not learned at first hand."
Cormac McCarthy, All the Pretty Horses
"Be kind, be patient, help others." -- Isabel Allende
"My gas stove identifies as electric." Anonymous
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cupcake
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Prompted by your post, I just searched online, and it looks like Viagra is legal in Mexico and sold over the counter without a prescription. And yet,
in my police encounter they seemed more interested in Viagra than cocaine or weapons. I have no idea why. I've never used Viagra. I told the police
that I am 65 years old, implying why would I want Viagra (I live pretty much as a Monk). Their reply, I guess it made sense: 'yea, you are 65 years
old, so you need Viagra'. I guess TJ sees a lot of old men using Viagra and looking for some female action. Yes, it is all weird indeed!
[Edited on 1-4-2025 by cupcake]
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mtgoat666
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That walk between SY border and revolution is a sketchy area. I don't like it in daytime, and I would not do it at night.
TJ is a rough city, and the cops robbing people makes the city worse.
Pre-911 I would visit TJ, but since then it is scum city (and border traffic is untenable) and city gives off a bad vibe, and there are way too many
stories of cops robbing people.
Cops robbing people. All the time. Bad place to visit.
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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mtgoat666
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| Quote: Originally posted by cupcake | Prompted by your post, I just searched online, and it looks like Viagra is legal in Mexico and sold over the counter without a prescription. And yet,
in my police encounter they seemed more interested in Viagra than cocaine or weapons. I have no idea why. I've never used Viagra. I told the police
that I am 65 years old, implying why would I want Viagra (I live pretty much as a Monk). Their reply, I guess it made sense: 'yea, you are 65 years
old, so you need Viagra'. I guess TJ sees a lot of old men using Viagra and looking for some female action. Yes, it is all weird indeed!
[Edited on 1-4-2025 by cupcake] |
I think a lot of gringos go there for prostitutes. Yuck. Men who can only get sex by buying it. Sad.
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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cupcake
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Maybe the police were interested in finding Viagra on me because it would have labeled me as a person to be 'worked'. They might have seen me
differently. Instead, maybe I was a good fish, to be thrown back into the stream. There had to be a reason. Maybe Viagra is legal and easy to buy in
Mexico, but it's a no-no to bring across the border?
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Lee
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| Quote: Originally posted by cupcake | | Maybe the police were interested in finding Viagra on me because it would have labeled me as a person to be 'worked'. They might have seen me
differently. Instead, maybe I was a good fish, to be thrown back into the stream. There had to be a reason. Maybe Viagra is legal and easy to buy in
Mexico, but it's a no-no to bring across the border? |
LE, both sides, have a wide discretion. Doesn't matter if cops found viagra and it's legal in MX. If they say it's illegal, then you have
trouble.
Advice: stay the heck out of TJ! Stay somewhere else. You don't want a second encounter to get the lesson.
Money belt is good. Carrying that much money on the streets of TJ? Not so good.
US Marines: providing enemies of America an opportunity to die for their country since 1775.
What I say before any important decision.
F*ck it.
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Tommy A
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Never judge a country by its border towns.
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wilderone
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Were they wearing uniforms? Have ID?
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ligui
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Not sure I wasn't there but it seems like a normal check. You were heading towards the police then did a u turn away from them . they never asked you
for money. After dark in TJ sounds like they were just looking to see if you were doing something wrong.
Do a u turn at a DUI check point and they would assume you are drinking.
Hope you will feel good about going back to Mexico soon
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Lee
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That's right. This can happen almost anywhere. CC if it's night. La Paz same thing. Ensenada.
No one has asked, or I've missed it, but you have had to be very comfortable in that area at night, and, what were you doing on foot with all that
money? Business?
I would say your experience was a good one.
US Marines: providing enemies of America an opportunity to die for their country since 1775.
What I say before any important decision.
F*ck it.
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BooJumMan
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Maybe I'm a wuss, but I wouldn't be walking that area alone at night.
Was there anyone else walking that stretch?
In that pre-Google Earth and social media epoch, The Code was adhered to. It was based on a simple verity: if a locale had been transformational for
you, and you had put the hard yards in to get there and to learn it, to know it, why in god�s name would you broadcast the news, thus ruining the
future experience not only for yourself, but for future adventurers?
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surfhat
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Why would anyone choose to enter Baja "Norte"without a vehicle?
I did one time ride along with a friend down the whole of Baja and found I would never do that again.
Life is for learning. Is it not?
I, to this day, question why anyone would consider exploring Baja without a vehicle?
I put my own time into seeing Mex. from a bus in the old days from Tijuana to Guerrero and beyond down to Centro and further into Central America.
A lifetime of memories still resonates decades later with the gift that travel give us all.
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cupcake
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They all had uniforms on, which in the seconds of my 'apprehension' I couldn't be sure if they were legitimate or not. After they had me back under
the ramp and were 'processing' me, I knew they were legitimate. I didn't ask to see any IDs, I was concentrating on projecting my 'frail old man -
friend of Mexico' persona.
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cupcake
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| Quote: Originally posted by Lee |
That's right. This can happen almost anywhere. CC if it's night. La Paz same thing. Ensenada.
No one has asked, or I've missed it, but you have had to be very comfortable in that area at night, and, what were you doing on foot with all that
money? Business?
I would say your experience was a good one. |
I was just walking to my hotel after crossing the border into Mexico. When I left at around 7am the next morning, I walked the same way back to the
border, no police checkpoint then.
I've walked this route in both directions at all hours of day and night, 30 to 40 times over the last ten years; this was the first time I've seen a
police checkpoint there, and I've never had a problem with 'bad guys'.
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