ATTENTION FOREIGN COMMUNITIES OF BAJA
The city of Cd. Constitucion has been sanctioning the using a traffic ticket trap. Under many pretenses they have been extracting money form drivers with foreign license vehicles. In many cases the officers have been taking cash from the victims. In my case a week ago two motor cycle patrolmen puled me over as I approached the city. they had no radar equipment, alluded to speeding but I was behind traffic and just went over a speed bump, so they mulled it over after seeing my Mexican drivers license and decided to write me a ticket on the pretense that there was a problem with my California license plate. I was directed to go to the police department and pay the fine. I inquired at the department as to what was wrong so I could correct the problem so as not to be ticketed again and only received a 25% discount for my trouble (from $525 pesos to $393). Since this has been a continual problem, reported by many travelers, on a Federal Highway, thru a town without a by pass, the federal, state, and community governments must act to deter these illegal harassments.
Suggestions;
1. put a Mexican flag on your dash, The three police donation slips I had didn't help.
2. take your front license plate off. The police operate from the side of the road and see your plate and flag you down.
3. slow down, the prevailing speed may be fast enough to ticket.
4. take the very first side street and by pass all those traffic sign and lights and traffic ticket traps.
5. many of the traffic lights are still out since Jamina and there are now a tricky maze of alto signs, lights, blinking yellow lights with alto signs etc.
6. get names and numbers of officers and take a picture.
7. get a written ticket rather than doling out cash then pay the ticket at the station and ask for a discount. It wont take you more that half and hour and you have documentation.
8. do NO business at any of the stores and/or tell them there will be no more business till this harassment stops. Wars are won on economics.
9. contact the mayor, the governor, the president, the sub-director of police (Sr. Villalejos 613-100-1910), the US Embassy (1-888-407-4747), WeTip.com (1-800-782-7463) and protest.

Fraternally; Joe Wachter

Permission is granted to reprint and disseminate this item at will.

There is a considerable discussion of this issue on Baja *****s. I have sent email to a number of offices related to tourism. I will post places for people to send email regarding this terrible situation. Whw will want to travel thru or stop in Ciudad Constitution when they must pass a gauntlet of crooked cops. My wife and I were planning to stay in Ciudad Constitution and now will go no further south than Guerro Negro unless this stops. I hopw all members here will send emails to businesses in Baja Sur and to Federal Agencies developed to deal with Tourist issues.

Iflyfish

Contacts



SECTUR - Secretaría de Turismo de México
Making tourism a national priority is one of the fundamental axes of the new tourist policy laid down in the National Tourism Program 2001 – 2006. One of the main purposes of the program is to consolidate the production and dissemination of information to strengthen the sector.

The information is more than important to our tourist work, it is indispensable, and we can use it to provide a solid basis for the decision-making process. We place at your disposal information that we have compiled from a number of recently conducted surveys and research exercises. Additional information will soon be available on our Secretaría de Turismo web site.

I N F O T U R ….. It is a privilege to help you …..
The Ministry of Tourism, through INFOTUR, part of the Tourist Services Division, provides free information to Mexican and foreign tourists, including co-nationals, about tourist destinations, attractions and services.

You may contact us by telephone, mail and e-mail, or visit our tourist information office, where we will also be happy to assist you in finding lodging.

http://www.sectur.gob.mx/wb2/s..._tourism_information

You may write to us at:
MINISTRY OF TOURISM - INFOTUR
Av. Presidente Masaryk 172, ground floor, Chapultepec Morales, Miguel Hidalgo,
Mexico City, México D. F.
Telephone: 30 02 63 00 Ext. 1151.

Or contact us by e-mail at: correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx
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Profeco - (Procuraduría Federal del Consumidor)

How to file a complaint with Profeco

Attention to Foreigners

Profeco is committed to always provide the best service. We extend our protection to the people who do not live in Mexico and acquire any product or service from a Mexican supplier and are not satisfied with the good or service.

More details about how to file a complaint with Profeco.

For further information you can contact us at the following numbers:
(52) 55-68-87-22 (phone); (+52) 55 5211-2052 (fax), or E-mail: extranjeros@profeco.gob.mx
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Fonatur - Fondo Nacional de Fomento al Turismo

MISSION - “To take part in the consolidation of the country’s sustainable development through the promotion of the nation’s tourism industry”.

VISION - “As a federal government agency, to serve as a leading institution in promoting the development of diversified tourism projects that are in keeping with global trends, by relying on a business structure that encourages private investment in projects that spur regional development, thus securing economic and social gains for those regions, by facilitating funding and credit, and by adopting an active and hands-on approach in areas where assured recovery will help lead to self-sufficiency and generate resources, as well as strengthen the institution’s role as a financial instrument within the tourism sector”.
Fondo Nacional de Fomento al Turismo
Tecoyotitla No. 100, Col. Florida C.P. 01030 México D.F.
Tel.: 50 - 90 - 42 - 00

COMPTROLLER’S OFFICE: COMPLAINTS AND REPORTS
http://www.fonatur.gob.mx/_ingles/indexmis.html
This page opens to their "About Us" page. Click on "Contact Us" on the left side of the page - At the bottom of the page there is a link to the Comptroller's Office: Complaints and Reports. This form is in Spanish.

www.fonatur.gob.mx
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Ministry of Tourism
Tourism Help Department - La Paz

La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Fax: (612) 124 - 0768 (From Mexico)
Fax: 01 (612) 124 - 0722 (From USA)

Phone: 01 (612) 124 - 0100 to 03

E-mail: turismo@gbcs.gob.mx

La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Km 51/2 Carretera al Norte Edificio Fidepa2
Apartado Postal # 419 CP. 23090
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Secretaría de Turismo de Baja California Sur
Departamento de Auxilio Turistico

Sr. Adolfo Gonzalez Garcia
Jefe del departamento de Auxilio Turistico

Phone: 01 (612) 124 - 0100 to 03
Fax: 01 (612) 124 - 0722

E-mail: turismo@gbcs.gob.mx

La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Km 51/2 Carretera al Norte Edificio Fidepa2
Apartado Postal # 419 CP. 23090
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Los Cabos Tourism Office - Secretaría Municipal de Turismo
Director: Lic. Jose Manuel Gonzalez Arreola

If you have comments, complaints, suggestions or need help from our city government,
please let us know.

Location: Blvd. Mauricio Castro s/n, Plaza San José, Locales 3 y 4
San José del Cabo. Baja California Sur, C.P. 23400 México.

Tel(s): (624) 146-9628 | E-mail: turismoloscabos@prodigy.net.mx

http://www.loscabos.gob.mx
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Los Cabos Convention & Visitors Bureau

Oficina de Convenciones y Visitantes de Los Cabos
Sr. Ruben Sanchez, General Director
Lazaro Cardenas Edificio Posada, s/n, Colonia el Medano
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, CP 23410 Mexico

Telephone: (624) 143-4777 (from USA and Canada dial 011-52 first)
USA Toll Free: 1-866 LOS CABOS - (866) 567-2226
info@loscaboscvb.com

This phone number is answered by a recorded message asking that callers leave their address for mailing of information on Los Cabos or leave a message if they have a more detailed issue.

To receive a free copy of the Visit Los Cabos Guide call: 1-866 Los Cabos - 866-567-2226
(note: this is not Los Cabos Magazine or Los Cabos Visitor's Guide)
This phone number is answered by a recorded message asking that callers leave their address for mailing of information on Los Cabos or leave a message if they have a more detailed issue

I have emailed the agencies listed above and hope you too will contact these folks and other businesses in Baja Sur to let them know how these police robbing US tourists affects your travel plans. Mrsfish and I will go no further south than Guerro Negro until this issue is resolved.

I hope others on this board will also contact appropriate businesses and agencies to lodge your complaint. There is strength in numbers. Please take action on this or look forward to armed robbery by police in Ciudad Constitution.

Iflyfish

There is something you can do: Email Patricia at noso@hotmail.com

I have sent Patricia an email, this is the old Manfred's RV Park in Ciudad Constitution, one of the finest RV Parks in all Baja, run by a wonderful woman, a real friend to *****s. She is involved so please contact and support her efforts. Maybe she has a recommendation for us as to how to stop the Extortion by Police in Ciudad Constiution.

"If you get ripped off by the cops in CC (or even an attempt), email your story to Patricia at Misiones RV park - npso@hotmail.com, with details.

She is reported to be pissed off & willing to go to the mayor's office to stop this.

Here is one such story by someone living close to Ciudad Constitution:

"Unfortunately it's true that moto cop number 045 has hit a couple of my friends and me too. Cost me $300 pesos on the spot. This guy tried to get one of my friends for $80 dollars but they gave him 500 pesos and said "that's it" ..then drove away . moto cop 045 did not follow them."

Please take a few minutes to do SOMETHING about this organized extortion by police in Ciudad Constitution, we all have to drive through this place to get from Baja Norte to Baja Sur.

Iflyfish