The 5 Most Common Reasons Travelers Get Into Trouble With Police In Cancun

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When you finally step off your resort property to explore Cancun, you are playing by a different set of rules. The hotel zone is built for fun, but local police strictly enforce the law the second you are out on the public sidewalk. Breaking these rules comes with consequences that will cost you massive amounts of time and money. If you want to enjoy your vacation without seeing the inside of a local holding cell or draining your bank account to pay a massive fine, here are the five main things that constantly get tourists into trouble.

1. Walking The Hotel Zone With An Open Drink

There is a huge difference between having a great time at your resort’s swim-up bar and stumbling down Boulevard Kukulcan with a drink in your hand. Public intoxication and carrying an open container of alcohol on the street are both illegal in Mexico. You cannot walk out of a bar or convenience store with an open beer and just stroll down the sidewalk.

If you are visibly drunk in public or carrying a drink, you are making yourself an easy target for police to stop you. Do not try to walk back to your hotel if you have had way too much to drink. That practically guarantees a massive on-the-spot fine or a trip to the local “drunk tank.” Just have a friend call a trusted taxi to get you directly to your room.

2. Vaping And Smoking On The Beach

You might think hitting a vape or lighting a cigarette while watching the waves is no big deal, but Mexico currently has some of the absolute strictest smoking and vaping laws on the planet. The country has completely banned smoking in all public spaces, including the beaches, parks, and town squares. +1

Things are even stricter when it comes to vapes. A massive federal rule makes it entirely illegal to bring vaping devices or e-cigarettes into the country. If customs agents find a vape in your luggage at the Cancun airport, they will confiscate it, and you could face huge fines right there. Using a vape on the beach or walking down the street will immediately draw the attention of law enforcement, leading to expensive tickets. Do yourself a favor and leave the vapes at home. +2

3. The Late-Night Public Bathroom Break

This might sound like an obvious one, but public urination continuously fills travel forums with horror stories from Cancun. Do not go to the bathroom outside. It does not matter if you are walking home late at night after the clubs in Punta Cancun close and you think you found a quiet spot behind a building.

The police have absolutely zero tolerance for this. You will not get a warning or a simple slap on the wrist. You will be detained, placed in a holding cell with a bunch of other people who made the same mistake, and you will not get out until you pay a massive fine that can sometimes reach hundreds of dollars. Always use the restroom at the club or restaurant before you start heading back.

4. Packing The Wrong Medications Or Any Drugs

While marijuana laws have totally relaxed across the US and Canada, they absolutely have not in Mexico. Buying, possessing, or using any type of recreational drug—including medical marijuana, THC gummies, or CBD pens—is a severe federal crime.

But it is not just party drugs that get people in trouble. Mexico bans certain over-the-counter medicines that are totally normal back home. For example, Sudafed (because of the pseudoephedrine) is completely illegal to bring in. If you take ADHD medication like Adderall, you need to bring the original prescription and a doctor’s note, or you can get into serious trouble at the airport. Leave the weed at home and double-check your medicine cabinet before you pack.

5. Taking Your Frustrations Out

Tourism is the entire engine that keeps Cancun running, and the local community works incredibly hard to protect that experience. Because of this, there is zero tolerance for anyone actively ruining the vacation for other guests or treating the workers poorly.

Arguing aggressively with bartenders, getting into physical fights by the pool, or showing obnoxious behavior will get you a rapid response from security. Resorts will not hesitate to expel you from the property without a refund and leave you stranded. If you refuse to leave or make a scene, local police are quick to intervene. Keep your cool, treat the locals with respect, and remember that you are a guest in their country.

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