Baja California officials accused of extorting street vendors

A street vendor in Tijuana reported being detained and interrogated by the state security force (FESC) without cause. Authorities allegedly demanded a protection fee and linked the pressure to organized crime, claiming the vendor’s motorcycle was unusually expensive.

The incident is presented as part of a broader pattern of alleged extortion by municipal and state officials across Baja California, with claims that the practice is coordinated with drug‑trafficking groups. The report cites the involvement of the State Secretariat of Security, headed by a former army general appointed by Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda.