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It was reported by local news in Quintana Roo this week that the cases of violence which have been happening in the tourist area of Playa del Carmen recently are linked to extortion.
Following some recent violent incidents in this tourist-heavy area, a local prosecutor Montes de Oca is assuring the public that the situation is being handled and that the alleged offenders have been arrested.
Prosecutor’s Office Working With Local Businesses In Playa Del Carmen
Oca explained in this report that progress is being made in the investigation and confirmed that the Prosecutor’s Office, which he leads, has identified the gangs allegedly involved in the recent incidents, where they worked to extort money from businesspeople in Playa.
As his office works with the local businesses and undercover agents, he assured that they will help to prevent these incidents of crime from happening in the future.
“Everything has to do with extortion issues. They (gangs) insist on the right to land, we have not allowed them for any reason, and we are not going to give a single centimeter against these gangs that for years have been getting stronger in impunity and continue to operate here in Playa del Carmen,” Oca stated in a recent interview.
“The detainees are already in prison, the corresponding criminal proceedings have already been initiated, in the cases mentioned there are detainees, the rapid reaction of the Municipal Police, also the Coordination group for Peace and Security of Quintana Roo, the Guard National, the Navy, the protocols are activated and the arrests are carried out,” he continued.
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Oca Invites Local Business To Not Hesitate To File A Complaint With His Office
And so far, Oca said, the collaboration has shown positive results.
“We cannot measure it in percentages, but every time (some)one of the business sector is the victim of an extortion issue, they immediately inform us and we have results,” the prosecutor added.
He also invited local businesspeople to not hesitate to file a complaint with his office if they become the of extortion.
Quintana Roo Officials Stepping Up Their Game
With the winter holiday season soon approaching and tourist arrivals expected to continue to break records, local authorities in Quintana Roo are stepping up. From the looks of it, a lot is being done in the region to keep tourists as safe as possible.
Even though it’s been widely reported that Playa del Carmen, Cancun, and the rest of the Riviera Maya region are, in general, very safe places, tourist safety in the region continues to be a cause for concern in local as well as international news.
Is Playa Del Carmen Safe?
The Cancun Sun reported just last week that despite Cozumel being a generally safe vacation destination, over 100 navy officers were being deployed to the cruise-centered island as a crime prevention measure.
Furthermore, back in September, over 3000 soldiers were sent by the Mexican government to patrol popular tourist areas across the Mexican Caribbean. The order was following some incidents in neighboring Tulum, which was the subject of some negative media attention due to reports of elevated levels of crime in the tourist town. In a shooting incident in Playa del Carmen in the middle of August, two people – including one foreigner – were injured.
It was such a cause for concern that the U.S. State Department even issued an official advisory for U.S. travelers to remain vigilant when traveling to certain regions of the country, including Quintana Roo.
But when it comes to the effects of crime, it is more often than not that any violent acts are committed against locals, and particularly other gang members as well as some local business owners. Despite the safety warnings, however, Americans continue to flock to Playa del Carmen and Cancun.
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