Tulum officials accused of extorting businesses and tourists

Business owners and tourists in Tulum, Mexico, say extortion has shifted from drug cartels to municipal police, traffic officers and federal health inspectors. Merchants report that officials impose fines ranging from 20,000 to 50,000 pesos and then demand off‑the‑books payments, sometimes using water‑testing pre‑texts. A British couple was stopped at a checkpoint, passed a breath test, and was threatened with 48 hours detention unless they transferred 21,000 pesos (about US$1,100) via Revolut, after a card terminal failed.

The practice has intensified as the town grapples with a record sargassum influx, business closures and a sharp drop in tourism. Mayor Diego Castañón acknowledged the complaints at a June 23 press conference and announced the dismissal of two inspectors, promising further action against corrupt officers. Local merchants and residents blame the extortion for worsening the tourism crisis and call for the removal of the Mexican army presence in the nearby archaeological park.