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Quintana Roo authorities have deployed undercover police officers to Tulum’s Hotel Zone after an increase in crime has occurred in the area over the past few weeks. As many prestigious hotels and restaurants operate in the area, hundreds of tourists circulate throughout the region each day, which only increases opportunities for criminals. Quintana Roo’s attorney general, Oscar Montes de Oca Rosales, has stated that the undercover police should help to restore order in the city.
The decision to increase police presence in Tulum’s Hotel Zone happened on Tuesday morning when three levels of the state government met with armed forces in a closed-door meeting. Here, both the government and armed forces discussed various strategies to prevent crime rates in the tourist-frequented city. A state prosecutor then attended a press release to discuss how new security measures would be implemented to better protect tourists and Tulum inhabitants from crime.
The decision to increase police presence in Tulum is partly due to the events of August 12th, where the bodies of four individuals were found inside the Hotel Zone. Experts deduced that the bodies were dumped on the site as a result of a drug-related feud. Authorities have since arrested five subjects on account of murder and assault.
Both the victims and the killers are thought to belong to the criminal collective ‘Los Pelones’, known as one of the most dangerous gangs in the vicinity of Tulum. With the five individuals involved now behind bars, police are adamant to protect tourists and locals from any similar situations.
One such measure that the government is set to implement is the installation of signs in popular businesses within the hotel zone. These signs, visible in the common areas of each property, will inform passers-by that the businesses will be reviewed by local and federal authorities on a permanent basis, to detain those involved in the drug trade and other illicit activities. This measure is highly regarded by authorities, as it has been implemented elsewhere in Quintana Roo to great effect.
The undercover unit of Tulum’s Investigative Police will also work covertly throughout the Hotel Zone, in the areas most populated by tourists. The unit’s main duty is to act on an immediate basis at the sight of any illegal act, including drug dealing and extortion.
This will ensure that police will be able to de-escalate fights, attacks on tourists, or robberies faster than ever before. The state government believes the undercover police will also serve as a deterrent to potential crimes in the future, as assailants will now think twice before committing a crime in broad daylight.
This is not the only security measure that Tulum has employed recently: Last month, Tulum’s police force became the first in Southeast Mexico to wear body cams, which should help to document investigations and keep officers accountable when dealing with tourists and locals.
The force has also made use of a digitised surveillance system, designed to capture crime in real-time through CCTV. All footage is directed towards a control centre in Quintana Roo, which will alert local officers if a crime occurs. The system has been a great success so far, with several instances of robberies and fights being caught on camera.
Whilst criminal activity is publicised more in Cancun than in Tulum, recent headlines discussing crime over the past two weeks have given the city a negative connotation. The government and local authorities alike hope that the new security initiative helps to better the reputation of Tulum and prevent future crimes from happening.
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