There have been a couple reports of “bandits with badges” stopping and frisking mongers who were walking in the red light district and I think I also remember a report of someone being removed from a taxi, being frisked. Some of these reports include mention of the police either stealing cash or shaking the frisked down for a cash donation. If anyone has been a victim of these robberies (I seem to remember a report by someone recently) can you answer a few questions?
- how thorough was the pat down? If you had cash in your underwear or sock would it have been discovered?
- what time of day is the most likely to have this happen?
- is the location of the stop always in, and only in the Zona and does it happen out in the open or do they attempt to hide in an alcove or behind a car or something?
- is the newish mayor’s task force to crackdown on police corruption having any noticeable effect?
- older advice was if you were a subject of a search you should hold in one hand any cash and ID and show the ID but don’t hand it over. Is that still the right action?
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last commentI was stopped getting out of my taxi at the border yrs ago. Put my money in my hand. Nothing found. Released without issues. Similar experience once on the street between clubs. Same technique, same outcome.
Always stash enough cash in my shoe under my orthotics insert to get a taxi back to the us.
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I've never been stopped so I have no firsthand experience.
However, have discussed with ATF frequently. ATF advises if you are stopped, to hold onto your cash in one hand as you suggest OP, that way the cops won't take it because they are worried someone will see them rob you. The way you get robbed is because you leave $500 in your pocket, and when they pat you down that disappears.
Anecdotally, it seems like stories of mongers getting robbed by bandits with badges are less frequent in recent months than last year. So I'm hopeful the new anti-corrruption measures are working. ATF is less optimistic, she claims the ministeriales in charge of cracking down on corruption are more corrupt than the cops themselves.
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I personally have never been stopped by the Tijuana police, but I do know a couple of guys who have. They’re both very fluent in Spanish and were able to emerge unscathed. They asked the officers in Spanish for their superior’s contact information and asked why they were being stopped. The cops apologized and let them go.
I agree with @RonJax2. While the number of attempted shakedowns have significantly decreased over the past few months, it is still possible. That’s why every time now I go to TJ, I use the Zona Norte shuttle service HK has. The limos NEVER get stopped by the police.
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@RonJax2 one of the posters on here claims the cops in mexico and TJ are less corrupt than american cops. What are your thoughts? Ive never heard of American cops doing this stealing while patting you down
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I mean you're right Rick, American cops typically don't rob people they pull over.
They can be corrupt though. And when American cops are corrupt, though it's much rarer, the corruption can be extreme - planting evidence, framing innocent people, that type of shit.
That said, nah, I don't think it's fair to say american police are more corrupt.
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I follow a couple of forums about TJ and Zona Norte and there has been significantly less chatter about the police and being stopped in the past 6 months or so. My last trip was a couple of months ago and I didn't encounter any issues but, did take the HK limo to/from the border.
I was stopped and frisked by the police near Sende Norte maybe a dozen years ago. They had me empty my pockets but, didn't take anything. I'm thinking I was just lucky.
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623 - In my 20+ years of mongering out in Tijuana, yes Policia checks have occurred occasionally while we were driving inside TJ ( just routine stops and nothing major ), but it’s not as common while just walking within the Zona district/red-light area ( atleast for me and many of my friends ).
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Although, this one time we got pulled over recently while taking a a taxi ride from HK back to the border crossing area was caused for the following reason/s :-
Late night hour ( past midnight ), you are more vulnerable to getting pulled over.
Unknown cab ( no name ), so it was my friend’s fault to have jumped into this particular cab carelessly.
The Policia guy did do a thorough pat down on us, but he didn’t take any of our money.
Also, holding cash/ID in one hand wasn’t an option for us and I didn’t want to do it either to unnecessarily instigate the Policia guy while he was being polite towards us and he didn’t take our money anyways.
IMO Policia corruption is still ongoing in Tijuana area, and I haven’t noticed any improvement either just because of the new mayor in town. So, it’s best to stay low-key and avoid all sorts of vulnerabilities by playing it safe and not trusting anyone out here.
Lastly, stying calm and also polite towards TJ Policia can do wonders, and despite them pulling you over they’ll let you free quickly.I am saying this based on my personal experience/s, and what a difference it has always made for me compared to my Sinaloan wingman who is usually a dick and as such always attracts unwanted trouble.
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I had an expensive run in with the Policia bandits with badges almost two years ago by the arch. the three officers frisked both me and my amigo and I held my phone and wallet in my left hand and then after frisking me he grabbed my wallet and told me not to move and he removed all my big bills from my wallet approximately $900. this happened behind my back at about 11 pm.
Since then I have greatly reduced by visits to Tijuana and I am much more careful now hiding my money. Never had a problem prior In 9 and 1/2 years to this particular incident.
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they may have gained $900 by robbing me but they have lost a lot of my business to Tijuana.
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