Flatfish
Junior Nomad
Posts: 25
Registered: 3-18-2024
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Mordida
Ran across this link awhile back and thought I’d post it. It’s on FB, but maybe there’s another one everyone can connect to? Hearing the latest
about the famed San Ignacio checkpoint made me bring it up. The more complaints they might actually do something about it although I do have my
doubts.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/BajaSindicatura/
[Edited on 7-6-2025 by Flatfish]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65241
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Thanks... that story sounds a bit far-fetched (1,000,000 pesos, etc.) but San Ignacio is where my wife and I had the only bad checkpoint experience
(was in 2015)!
PS you could copy and paste that story here, which I will attempt to (from Vic H. on June 25, 2025) >>>
Sorry for the following narrative of what took place at the San Ignacio military checkpoint on June 14. I am still trying to file a complaint. Any
help would be appreciated. I have been trying the consulate the embassy numerous letters to different Mexican government branches nothing. The
consulate suggestion was I get a translator and an attorney and file a case against him, which I don’t understand. That would be civil, which kind
of applies to the military, but in reality has such a low rate of conviction that what would be the point? Summary of the event :
I was stopped at the checkpoint, and after the soldier looked in my car he immediately asked me to step out. He then asked me to empty my pockets. I
willingly emptied my pockets. And the soldier reached down and immediately returned my keys that were in my pocket and my pocket knife that was in my
pocket. The soldier then had me stand between him and the car seat, where I had emptied my pockets and bent down and took the money that had been in
my pocket. He also picked up my passport, which I had put down on the seat. He then pointed to the right and said search and pointed to the right
again, so I move my car to the right. He began conducting a very thorough search of my vehicle immediately noticing two of the three containers of Zyn
nicotine pouches on my seat. Further search revealed one opened Zyn container in the console between the seats. Also, in the console was one
individually packaged Viagra tablet from the US. At this time, I told him yes that is Viagra. I have it from the US and there’s a prescription in
the back. Further searching revealed two sealed prescription mailers that contained Viagra and the prescriptions from the US.
At this time, I pointed out to him that yes, those were the prescriptions. The soldier then walked from the back of my car to the front and placed the
prescription Viagra on the seat with the containers of Zyn nicotine pouches. He did not appear to speak English and at that time told me that I had
Mucho Problemas because of the Viagra and the Zyn nicotine pouches. I asked if I could use my phone to translate and he let me. I then told him that
I was not aware that Viagra was not allowed, especially since I had the prescriptions from the US for them, and I told him that I had looked online
all that I could, and that there was no law that I could find that I could not possess Zyn nicotine pouches. After reading this, he motion towards my
phone, so I switched it from English to Spanish to Spanish to English and had him speak into it. He then told me that I was not allowed to have Viagra
without a Mexican prescription and that I was only allowed possession of two Zyn nicotine pouch containers. I switched my translator back to English
to Spanish and told him that I was not aware again that Viagra was illegal for me to possess, especially since I had a prescription. I also indicated
that perhaps I did not find the information online, but I was not aware that Zyn nicotine pouches were considered a controlled substance and I was not
allowed to have more than two. I also told him that I was aware that just because I did not know the law that it was not OK. I told him I was very
sorry if I had broken the law I did not think I did, but if there was a ticket that I would have to get and pay before I left Mexico I would do that
that it was no problem. He had me switched the translator back to Spanish to English and told me that no it was not just a ticket. It was a very big
problem and that the police would have to come from La Paz and take me to jail.
I did ask if that was necessary because La Paz was very far away and he said yes, unless I wanted to pay him and make this go away. I switched the
translator back and asked him what that means and how much money does that mean? He then called over another soldier and spoke with him for several
minutes and then came back and asked me how much money I have. I told him a little to travel home with and he said it would be 1 million pesos for me
to leave without the police and without going to jail. I told him that I did not believe I had 1 million pesos and that if I had broken the law that I
needed to go to jail. He then told me that would be very bad that it would be better for me to pay them and go on my way. I again told him that I did
not have 1 million pesos and I would have to go to jail and I did not think I had done anything wrong but if I did, I guess I should go to jail. He
then began searching my car again.
This time while he searched, he began to make a pile of things and said maybe for me. These were things such as a very large Bluetooth speaker,
several pairs of headphones, a bottle of men’s cologne called suave that he sprayed several times on his flat jacket and a rechargeable, electric
hand warmer. He then unzip the suitcase that contained my PlayStation five and stopped and called the other guy back over and showed it to him and
they talked for several minutes. Well, they were talking. I began typing in my phone to translate that I was sorry if they wanted that I could not
give it to them because it was a present from my girlfriend. After they finish talking, he walked back over and I showed him my phone telling him that
I could not give it to him. He then had me switch the phone back to Spanish to English and And told me that no I should give that to him and my money
and then I could go. I switched the translator back and told him absolutely no way could I give that to him? It was a gift and it meant something to
me. And I would like for them to call the police because if I had done something wrong, I needed to go to jail. I did not want to give them anything.
He then had me change my phone again and told me no no police. I had a problem here and they did not need the police and I needed to give them the
PlayStation. I again told them no that would not happen that I would like them to call the police that I would like to go to jail for whatever I did
wrong. He again had me change the phone and told me no police.
I had a big problem with them here and that I needed to give them the PlayStation and my money. By this time, he was extremely irritated and agitated
and somewhat aggressive, and I began truly fearing for my safety because he was saying no police. My problem was with them. I used my translator to
tell them that I had no problem with them that I just wanted to go or for the police to come and take me to jail for what I had that was wrong. He
then asked me for my wallet and I asked him why, and he used my translator and told me he wanted to see how much money I had in my wallet. I complied
and took my wallet out and opened it up and showed him the money. He used my translator and told me to take the money out and show him. I took the
pesos and the dollars in my wallet out and showed them to him he then put out his hand in a motion for me to give it to him and said for me. I said
no I need the money to continue home. I can’t give it to you at which time he reached out and grabbed it from me. I held onto one $100 bill and he
got the rest. I used my translator and told him I did not want him to take the money that I needed it to get home. He then used my translator and told
me I needed to give him the other hundred dollars so I could go or we would have more problems.
At this point in time, I was so fearful of what was going to happen and what problems he kept saying we’re gonna happen that I gave him the hundred
dollars. And asked to go. At this point, he used my translator again and said I still needed to give him the PlayStation and I said no and put out my
hands together and said I need to go to jail. I don’t want to give up anything. At this time, the other soldier stepped forward and had another
conversation with him for several minutes. I do not speak Spanish, so I do not know what they were saying, but the other soldier appeared very
irritated and was shaking his head and telling him no. When their conversation was over, he came back over and used my translator to tell me I was
lucky and I could go and walked away.
It would be interesting to note that when he said I could go and walked away, he left the Viagra and the containers of Zyn nicotine pouches on my
seat.<<<
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Mula
Super Nomad
Posts: 1657
Registered: 8-16-2011
Location: San Nicolas y Lopez Mateos
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Thank you!
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chippy
Super Nomad
Posts: 1745
Registered: 2-2-2010
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What was morbid about that?
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Flatfish
Junior Nomad
Posts: 25
Registered: 3-18-2024
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Okay, okay, okay! I spelled it wrong! 🤣😂Fixed!
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