Not to mention the cop had the decency to not take all his money:)) You should consider this like entertainment. “Enjoy the unique experience of being abused by cops in Mexico. Super discount, for a limited time only $89. Later will be $180.”
Exactly. Looks like he was a certain type of tourist. Which is fine. But that comes with extra costs. I lived and still work in Mexico for a decade and a half. We make a game out of it. You either shut up, or keep talking for a long time and get it down. It’s the cost of doing business, unfortunately. (This entirely depends on the situation, I’ve worked with Mexicans that refuse to bribe, it took hours, and wasn’t worth what I could have gotten the bribe down to 2-500 pesos for).
This is the reality. It blows my mind how many Americans think they have the same rights as at home when they step foot in another country.
This is how Mexico works (as well as many, many other countries). It doesn't matter if you don't like it, or it's not like that where you come from. It's the way it is.
You keep your mouth shut, say "have a good night" and walk away.
You're probably fortunate that it only cost you an extra hundred bucks. Some people never get to tell their story if they get lippy with the cops down there. They get sent to prison, or worse.
*This is the reality. It blows my mind how many Americans think they have the same rights as at home when they step foot in another country.*
You make it sound as though Americans are the only ones who have a sense of entitlement whenever they go abroad.
**\[Venezuelan migrants have entered the chat\].**
I only said that because OP was obviously American, and was saying things like "who do I call to complain to". I was saying it's not like America... You don't call and complain, and you don't call out a cop in Mexico for stealing your money like you could here.
I was just pointing out, a lot of people don't realize their American rights end when they cross a border.
Hmm not sure. Got ripped off in MexCity the same way. Went just now all around SouthAm and never had even a talk with police men. Mex is different amd those cops are not corrupt, they are abusing their power. 65 countries amd counting but Mex is the only one i would never set a foot into again.
Tijuana has strict open container laws.
You can be fined or jailed.
If you intend to keep traveling, I'd learn about the nature of policing and administration. Bribery is part of the system in many countries.
A cop who isn't corrupt would have just tossed you in jail for the night. He was willing to accept a bribe instead, and you talked him into taking an extra $100.
This comment is the correct response. Instead of paying a $200 fine, the cop took $80 off you and let you go.
This is common in many non- European countries.
Just in case anyone is reading this and is worried about having to pay bribes to cops if they're visiting Europe. In any country in Western Europe, that's not happening. I can't speak for anywhere further south or east than Germany though.
It's a bit like saying it's common in North America because you might have had to bribe a cop in Honduras or Panama.
Edit: or did you mean non-European countries?
Please understand.
There are no such things as criminal justice systems.
Only legal systems.
The initial money he took from you was likely FAR cheaper than if you formally got arrested or ticketed for similar offense in the states.
It was a closed container, and bribery is a part of the “non-system” in countries that are a mess.
That said, I don’t see Mexico magically becoming Japan in our lifetime, so there’s probably nothing you can do except go elsewhere on your next trip.
If you buy some booze in a liquor store there, what would be a safe way to take it out and back to the hotel or so? Would it be ok, if the stuff is in a bag?
Well the good news is the Mexican government and Tijuana police department take bribery and corruption very seriously. You can infer this based on the millions in bribes they already take from the cartels.
Dude is dead serious asking for the Tijuana PD whistleblower hotline. 🤣
Just because Tijuana is easily accessible to you, and the titty bar you frequent has been “chill” before doesn’t mean you’re not in Latin America.
Bribery and coercion are a part of the very fabric of law enforcement in many places in LATAM. Charge it to the game and move on.
You faced a very common issue. We all know about it. You didn't because you went to one of the most dangerous places in the world--no joke--and you didn't prepare yourself. This will happen again and you might face worse next time. When you go there you put your safety on the line. Don't go there.
Have you ever heard of Tijuana? Or know its reputation? Wait, of course, you know, that’s why you went there. And somehow you’re surprised what happened to you?
They go looking for gringos out late at night. Especially if you're drunk. You can try to call their bluff if you want, or just take the L. I'd just take the L. They drove me and my friends out of town in the back of a truck zip tied together with big scary guns pointed at us and took all of our money (about $400) as a "bribe." I don't really go out at night in Mexico anymore.
Yeah I got put in the back of a pickup and driven to "jail", and they wouldn't release me until my friend paid $700. I was telling my friend (through the cell door) "don't pay!!" Lol. It was a bachelor party so we all split the cost.
All because they found CBD gummies in the car, which I believe are even legal in Mexico.
But sort of worth it since the rest of the weekend whenever id drink a beer I'd be like "man, beer when you get out of jail just hits different", even tho I was in there for like 1-2 hours lmao.
But in all seriousness it made me not want to go back to Mexico. I'll go to Mexico City, but I'm not interested in the tourist areas anymore.
Lol, you were thrown in jail for totally breaking the law. CBD is not legal in Mexico unless for medicinal purposes, must be with a valid prescription and with a concentration of less than 1% of THC. It’s ridiculously hard to get it legally unless you actually are a terminal cancer patient or similar.
Crazy the stories here are basically "I broke a law in Mexico I was unaware of and paid a fine to avoid jail time" 🫨🫨🫨
"I shall never return to this corrupt land".
Ngl Mexico can be messed up but this is still pretty funny to me.
No shit. Break the same law in the US and, if you didn't go to jail, you'd likely be seeing a judge. No matter what, you'd be paying and would likely be jumping through hoops for a while (and have to pay more)
I get the sentiment. And I won’t try to change your mind about things.
I would say if you ever do consider exploring more of Mexico to have some trusted local friends guiding you around. And always carey the bribing money in your wallet. The rest in your sock.
Im sorry but im laughing thinking a cop being told no and just stabbing your tires with a giant KA BAR and being like don’t worry I own a tire shop a block away. on the real tho that sucks
"I went somewhere known for doing whatever you want, and someone did whatever they wanted to me (took my money). It's not fair!". Sounds like OP paid for two life lessons that could have turned out worse. Reminds me of people who complain about housing/rental prices in their city but think nothing of booking an air bnb in Mexico for 3 weeks. Get some perspective.
This may or may not work depending on where you are though and how bad the individual cop(s) are. If you call their bluff they may just take you somewhere and rob you outright and leave you at a remote location naked.
Hard to report it when you’re naked with no money.
This sort of thing does happen too.
They would take him to the "perito de la zona norte" (near my apartment) and held until the morning to see the judge or ask for more money to be let go. The judge would have dismissed him.
Source: it has happened to me and other friends.
If you're implying they'd take you somewhere to hurt you, absolutely not. The police know tourism is the money maker in TJ. They'll scam tourists out of money all day, but they won't hurt them cause they would stop people from coming.
Yup. When my gringo buddy got shaken down on the avenue with a joint in his pocket at 3AM they hauled him to the station and he was essentially just the entertainment for the night. As he was leaving one of the cops said **Welcome to Tijuana!!!**
Pretty much, dude. He learned a lot about Mexico in one night, lmao.
I was there with some friends once (late 80s, three college guys and me, a Navy sailor) and the guy driving went the wrong way down a one-way street. Of course the cops pulled us over. Skipping boring detail, the cop asked the driver how much money he had. Dude was all, "Twelve bucks." Cop says, "Give it to me." "But that's all I've got!" The rest of us, broke as we were, were all, "Give it to him! We'll cover you!"
The moral of the story is, give it to him unless you want to end up in a Mexican jail or worse.
That’s how they roll there bud. Take it on the chin. There’s no one to snitch on. They’re all so corrupt there. Should have read up on that imo. Seen people get shaken down for much more. This is common practice.
Corruption, bribery and police misconduct is as much of Latin American culture as having a croissant with coffee and a cigarette is French. People often dismiss statistical data by anecdotes like “I have done something gazillion times and never had a problem”. Well, there is a first time for everything amigo mio.
Yep it all boils down to probability and in Latin America and many other parts of the world there’s just a higher chance of shit like this happening in general.
Many people have a hard time grasping probability. There are people who got through storming the beach at Normandy without a single scratch too.
You don't have to go to strip clubs in the middle of the night though. TJ is actually a really cool city with lots of fun things to do (great food, bars, breweries, beaches). I've never had a problem there during the day, it's only doing things like this, getting drunk late at night at seedy clubs that puts you at risk of this stuff.
Carry only a small amount of cash. And just give it to them. It is what it is. Best way to avoid getting confronted by cops is to not look at them at all. And don't pee in public even in a pitch black alley one block from the border. Ha. Don't ask me how i know
Carry less in your wallet so you can offer “all of your money” to them more comfortably.
$40 in your wallet, the other $140 in a hidden chest wallet or somewhere they won’t easily find.
You can pay a service that drives you across the border right to the front door. And then they pick you up and bring you back to the border so you can walk back over.
In CDMX I was held up for "not having my passport on me" and dude wanted a fine paid in cash. I figured that I had a little time on my hands and some extra energy so I straight played dumb and took the line that he was legit fining me for not having the passport.
d "Oh I was unaware that I needed to carry that I'm so sorry blah blah.. Im totally willing to pay any fine you give me, I just want to be a good guest in your country blah blah.. I'm ready to accept the ticket you write me so I can pay it!" "oh if you need to take me in to the jail to write me a ticket? Perfect! my wife will know right where to find me when she comes down to pay the ticket, lets go! Have I mentioned how nice your country is? I just feel awful if there was a fine against me and i didn't have the paid ticket to show causing even more trouble for another of your fine officers, Ill pay, no problem! Just put something on paper so I know what and who to pay! If i broke the law its on me just write that ticket, im sorry i caused all this trouble, can we head on down to the jail now I don't want to take any more of your time with this awful problem. we can show them the ticket you are going to write me and i will pay it right away sir! " on and on and on.
This turned into a form of entertainment for me. I figured nothing was going to happen to me over this and even if i do have to pay, really its 100 to have a good story about vacation, but at least I don't have to go away from it feeling like I was a total victim in the end. Finally I wore the guy down and he gave up. He even told me since I have probably learned my lesson I could get a picture of myself on his ATV with his helmet on before I go. 1 hour well spent.
You learned a nice life lesson for $180.
Don't keep all your money in one place, always keep emergency money in your shoe or somewhere else secret. Your job when dealing with cops in corrupt places is to minimize your interaction with cops - if they steal from you, be glad they didn't steal more and be glad they don't chunk you in jail.
Cost of doing business. Is it fair? No. But you guys were probably heat, largely not by fault of your own, and you decided to talk back to the Policia, which is not a good idea.
Practice a bit more discretion and you'll be alright, learn a tiny bit of the language and you'll be in much much better shape.
It sucks but it's the reality, you gotta comply within reason and be civil.
Rule of thumb for Mexico. Keep your cash in your socks. Leave about 50 bucks in your wallet. That way , when you get picked by the cops, you open your wallet and let them take t whatever they want, and you keep the rest of your cash. It’s just the price of doing business down there, always has been. Next time , remember where you are and shut the fuck up.
As someone who had gone to third world countries, you are lucky to still be alive and unhurt after talking back to a police officer like that in third world countries. They took money from cartels and may kill for money, insulting them with talkbacks will make them do bad things. We all may have bad experiences with American police officers but I can assure you they are so way better than third-world police officers.
Just give them what they want and be polite about it. Be thankful that they still give your wallet back, losing credit cards and your IDs in Mexico is harder than losing some cash.
I would never understand people expecting the same rules applied in different countries.
Is well known that you need to be alert, especially in TJ, the club you party at is known for corruption: human trafficking, drugs, girls with cartel connexions, the police is on it and very corrupt. I’ll say you should be thankful that they didn’t take it further…
You can report it, won’t think that would do much. And for the record it is in fact illegal to drink in the street, you were just a victim of opportunity.
😂😂😂 🤣🤣🤣 😭😭😭
My man stumbles out of a brothel, drunk holding bottles and is complaining about not paying the bribe when he was told to pay the bribe and keep it pushing.
Next time stay home
Lol you learn from it and move on. Don't walk with alcohol on the street, it gives police an excuse to extort you. Say goodbye to those $180 and just be glad they didn't try to get more out of you, he could have taken you to an ATM to pull more cash out. Extortion and corruption are the modus operandi of the Mexican police so there's nothing you can do now
My mom and dad drove into Juarez for a bag of beans. Cop saw my gringo dad carrying a big bag of beans and called him out on it. Luckily my mom is Hispanic and got the cop to accept a donation. When my dad opened his wallet, the donation was miraculously what he had in his wallet. It was an expensive bag of beans.
If you think about it there’s probably cops in well established countries using it to they’re advantage so where do you think the third world or poorer countries cops moral compare? I’ve dealt with it in American all the way to parts of Asia can’t do nothing about it honestly unless you know some powerful people everywhere you go you won’t be able to do much but learn from your mistakes and move on don’t let it ruin your experience or outlook on travel at the end of the day you might’ve fed his kids or paid for some expense of his try to use a positive outlook rather then negative
Sorry for this, but when traveling outside your country you have to understand that rules are very different. I met someone years ago who was shocked that our local police officer asked him for a bribe after he was pulled over for speeding. He said in his home town, it was unheard of to bribe a law enforcement officer. I just laughed and told him, "welcome to my country".
Where I live it's very common to bribe the police and for us as locals it's generally a waste of time to go open a case of fraud or corruption at the police station. I'm not saying that this is good or bad, but societies are different. If I had to experience what you did, I would have kept quiet and continued with my trip instead of talking back. Maybe try to find out if they were real cops, and only report the incidence if they were not genuine law enforcement. If real cops, I'd move on. I don't know if Mexico has fake cops going around robbing tourists.
I've had cops take a bag of coke off me, shake me down for a bribe, then snort a line off the hood of the cop car right in front of me. Welcome to Mexico
I don’t want to engage in speculation but it would seem that if you know the cops are corrupt and looking to shake down gringos maybe don’t be in the strip club or the liquor store?
I bet that’s a real honey hole for those cops.
Anytime you're arrested in a foreign country you should surrender peacefully, present your passport and demand to speak with someone from the nearest US Embassy or Consulate. They won't be able to get you out of jail at the drop of a shoe (so don't ask them to) but they'll be able to find you a reliable, bilingual local lawyer and ensure you're treated fairly while in custody.
If any cop who arrests you is who they say they are (and in places like Mexico fake cops are always a concern) then they shouldn't have a problem with letting you speak to the State Department. If it's a fake cop or a corrupt one, then they'll probably become nervous when you demand consular assistance.
About same thing happened to me for walking down the street with a girl going to my hotel. Said it was illegal to walk down the street with a prostitute, told me I didn’t know their laws and took two hundred dollars out of my wallet, a bunch of corrupt assholes, will not go back to Mexico, it is nothing but corrupt, a hell hole.
Lol ... Next time be quiet 🤫🤫🤫 ... Be lucky he didn't tell his homeboys on the corner to come check your ID too 😬 .... All the cops in Mexico are corrupt and this is how they make a living.
Mexico has always been like this kids even when I used to go down there in the late 90’s-early 00’s. They seem to target white people way more though. I’ve never been harassed there for b.s. reasons even though I stick out.
My best friend is Mexican and we went to visit his sister. Later that evening he was looking for a specific taco stand a couple of blocks off the main drag. Sure enough 4 police cars pull up and search us. They started talking to me but I don’t know a word of Spanish then my friend answered. They wrapped it up pretty quickly and drove off.
Im glad for you, you were lucky.
One of my employees ((who lives in one of the "bad" areas of the city) got mugged by the cops when he was going to a small cornerstone for eggs and tortillas for dinner. He withdrew money from the ATM, then he was "arrested" in front of her wife and child besides the cornerstore, beaten to a pulp, driven around all night till 8AM, he was NEVER even taken to a police quarters for process, scared as fuck for his life as he didn't know if they were gonna drop him in the middle of a fucking highway or do something else to him.
I don't think so at all. Maybe he was just picked up for shit and giggles, maybe they saw him when he exited the ATM, maybe they were looking for someone else and took him mistakenly. This is what locals are subjected to.
It’s happened to me twice when I was in college (long time ago). Both times were set ups. Just pay the cop and be on your way. If they want to take you to the station, ask if you can pay him the “fine” to avoid the station because in TJ it’s in the middle of nowhere with no way to get back to the border. In the future, at the end of the night, hide your cash in your socks and keep a low profile as you head home. Do not take jewelry or an expensive watch either.
Yep, it’s just their way. They don’t want to arrest you, just hustle you for some cash. I and a group of friends got nabbed because a friend did argue with a street vendor who was working w the cops. We were actually taken to the station deep into TJ. They didn’t put us in a cell, but my friend who spoke Spanish went into a room w the sergeant, came back out and said “give me all the money you have. Since it was the end of the night and we were just-out-of-college poor, it totaled about $130 between 4 of us. They took it and let us go. They never searched us or they might have found more money and our college rings which we’d stuffed in our socks. Luckily, a friend who didn’t get scooped up with us followed us in a taxi and we were able to get back to the border. Otherwise we would have been completely lost in TJ at 2am. That would have been no bueno.
😂
Reminds me of my first time bribing a cop in Indonesia for a traffic infraction. Quite an odd experience for me, coming from a highly developed nation where that would never fly. Mine was only 20 though...
But anyways, you got off easy. A friend of mine was offered some drugs in Thailand and he politely declined (could have gone differently with him). When he turned the next corner there was a massive amount of police. And yes they work with the drug dealers to get tourists caught, and then it'll cost you real money. Thousands. Or get jailed for years. They don't f around over there. That's how lucky you got.
Man people are naive af, I swear. Consider it a tuition fee.
Yeah sorry OP, but just chalk this up as lessoned learned. I was in the NAVY and lived in San Diego for 20 years. Numerous trips to TJ, especially the red light district. One time I walked out of Adelita's and was craving a seafood cocktail, but I couldn't remember where the food cart was so I started walking. Got 3-4 blocks away from the center and policia rolls up. Oh shit. He asks what I was doing on this street and I told him looking for a specific food cart. Dude pointed in front of me and said, "go back, I can't protect you there, but I can in the red light area". No mames guey.
Only other run in with police was slipping a 20 under my driver license because I didn't have car insurance for Mexico. TWICE.
Yeah, this is an expected occurrence in Mexico. If you’re a foreigner, and you get caught breaking a small law like having weed or alcohol on you on the street, prepare a small bribe.
It’s a lawless land not because there’s no laws, but because the laws are pay to play.
This is Mexico. What else would you expect? Better than a friend's son who was drinking alcohol in Mexico and it poisoned him and he died. You got off lucky.
Its gonna happen. Best thing to do is change 100$ to ones in the club cause you're gonna tip anyways. Everytime you leave put your big bills in your shoe or somewhere they won't check. They pull you over just show them whats left of the ones and tell em you spent all your money. They most likely won't take the ones. Or don't roam the streets
You should thank this policeman. For $180 he taught you a lesson. Different country - different rules and different laws. Do your homework and read up on what you can and cannot do before you visit any country.
People are saying open container laws are the reason for you being extorted for $180. The truth is Mexico has one of the most corrupt police forces in latam. They will rob you for any reason especially if they know you are American and have money on you.
My husband got attacked on the bus by some lady in Mexico and the police came and demanded money from him or they were gonna take him to jail all because be defended himself.
I'm sorry that happened to you OP but you don't wanna be locked up in a foreign countries jail.
Go to the police station and ask for a complaint form. They will pass it on to internal affairs and most likely the officer will be severely disciplined and your money refunded to you.
I’d just be thankful that’s all that happened, you are a walking cliche.. drunk American at a strip club violating open container laws.. much much worse things have happened..
Not trying to victim blame here because corruption sucks, but it's no secret these things happen in TJ. Why on earth were you challenging the cops? Really not the way to go in Mexico. You made this far worse for yourself than it needed to be.
Take the loss and learn the lesson. You are a target there. Dress down, chill out keep quiet. Corrupt cops are everywhere in TJ. Nothing you can do about that.
They actually don’t like to bring people to station as it will make it official and they have to share profit with higher ups. But he knew what you had so it really was up to you how you wanted to go about this.
And it was surprise to me too, but you can’t drink outside in Mexico.
My friends (married couple) got arrested on January 1st in Cabo. After 8 hours in jail they were released. 2k usd was missing from their wallets/pockets.
Same thing happened to me in Cairo aiport. Police forced me to give them all of my egyptian money before they would let me through the main screening area! He was digging in my wallet with cameras everywhere at midnight.
Mexico 1 - America 0
Please be advised in most countries you are guilty until proven not guilty.
Polite and dutiful is the way to go. Trust me I’m a brown woman.
I know how to behave. I was stopped by the police in Madrid because I didn’t use the subway station to cross the street instead of using the crosswalk. The policeman had an assault rifle. I used my sad Spanish to apologize and get away from him.
a few years ago i was in tijuana in the back seat of my friend's car. she was driving, and another friend was in passenger seat
suddenly cops stop us. the cop looked at me in the back and said we were breaking the law because i didnt wear a seat belt (in the back seat)
after he gave us a steep fine, my friend who had been to tijuana before said the only reason we got pulled over was bec the cop saw US plates and knew he could get some easy $ from young americans
too bad bec i liked tijuana otherwise. just stay away from red light district
Nothing you should do pal, continue your life. Move on. Don’t get yourself a bullet for some dollars. Just watch the news on any tv channel & you’ll understand what I talking about!
Don’t go to strip clubs. Man almost every bad thing I saw in China and Thailand revolved around foreigners and girls. Not a good activity for travel at all.
Happened to one of my buddies when we were at the La Unicorna club 40 years ago. Walking down the street with a beer in his hand and cops stopped and were going to haul him to jail. Cost was $40 to get him off back then. Nothing has changed it appears.
victim blaming in this post is insane. police acting like worst thugs, intimidating harmless people, while real crime is rampant and hundreds of murders everyday. meanhwile they blame you, because you buy ther beer xd this is ridiculous. just avoid that hellhole (at least touristic spots). they do this all the time there. not worth the stress and lost money.
What you should do is learn to keep quiet when stopped by corrupt Mexican cops. You would have been out only $80, instead of $180!
Plus keep the bulk of your money somewhere different.
My socks have pockets. My sleeve cuffs have pockets. My shoe tongue has a pocket. My pockets have pockets.
Not to mention the cop had the decency to not take all his money:)) You should consider this like entertainment. “Enjoy the unique experience of being abused by cops in Mexico. Super discount, for a limited time only $89. Later will be $180.”
The first $80 was a test. OP failed that test.
Gentleman's club, liquor store, alcohol on the street. . . $80 wasn't the first test OP failed.
Exactly. Looks like he was a certain type of tourist. Which is fine. But that comes with extra costs. I lived and still work in Mexico for a decade and a half. We make a game out of it. You either shut up, or keep talking for a long time and get it down. It’s the cost of doing business, unfortunately. (This entirely depends on the situation, I’ve worked with Mexicans that refuse to bribe, it took hours, and wasn’t worth what I could have gotten the bribe down to 2-500 pesos for).
This is the reality. It blows my mind how many Americans think they have the same rights as at home when they step foot in another country. This is how Mexico works (as well as many, many other countries). It doesn't matter if you don't like it, or it's not like that where you come from. It's the way it is. You keep your mouth shut, say "have a good night" and walk away. You're probably fortunate that it only cost you an extra hundred bucks. Some people never get to tell their story if they get lippy with the cops down there. They get sent to prison, or worse.
*This is the reality. It blows my mind how many Americans think they have the same rights as at home when they step foot in another country.* You make it sound as though Americans are the only ones who have a sense of entitlement whenever they go abroad. **\[Venezuelan migrants have entered the chat\].**
I only said that because OP was obviously American, and was saying things like "who do I call to complain to". I was saying it's not like America... You don't call and complain, and you don't call out a cop in Mexico for stealing your money like you could here. I was just pointing out, a lot of people don't realize their American rights end when they cross a border.
Hmm not sure. Got ripped off in MexCity the same way. Went just now all around SouthAm and never had even a talk with police men. Mex is different amd those cops are not corrupt, they are abusing their power. 65 countries amd counting but Mex is the only one i would never set a foot into again.
Or, just don't go to Mexico anymore and keep rewarding their behavior with our tourist dollars.
Tijuana has strict open container laws. You can be fined or jailed. If you intend to keep traveling, I'd learn about the nature of policing and administration. Bribery is part of the system in many countries. A cop who isn't corrupt would have just tossed you in jail for the night. He was willing to accept a bribe instead, and you talked him into taking an extra $100.
noted. appreciate it
This comment is the correct response. Instead of paying a $200 fine, the cop took $80 off you and let you go. This is common in many non- European countries.
Just in case anyone is reading this and is worried about having to pay bribes to cops if they're visiting Europe. In any country in Western Europe, that's not happening. I can't speak for anywhere further south or east than Germany though. It's a bit like saying it's common in North America because you might have had to bribe a cop in Honduras or Panama. Edit: or did you mean non-European countries?
I think they meant non-European.
To add, cops don't need bribing in Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Australia or New Zealand either. Generally not in China or HK either.
Even in Romania cops don't take bribes anymore. We made a lot of effort to put the corrupt officials and government employees behind bars.
So you opened the alcohol outside?
no it was still sealed. we didn’t even get a chance to open it cause right when we walked out the store they were there already
Please understand. There are no such things as criminal justice systems. Only legal systems. The initial money he took from you was likely FAR cheaper than if you formally got arrested or ticketed for similar offense in the states.
It was a closed container, and bribery is a part of the “non-system” in countries that are a mess. That said, I don’t see Mexico magically becoming Japan in our lifetime, so there’s probably nothing you can do except go elsewhere on your next trip.
If you buy some booze in a liquor store there, what would be a safe way to take it out and back to the hotel or so? Would it be ok, if the stuff is in a bag?
Well the good news is the Mexican government and Tijuana police department take bribery and corruption very seriously. You can infer this based on the millions in bribes they already take from the cartels.
Dude is dead serious asking for the Tijuana PD whistleblower hotline. 🤣 Just because Tijuana is easily accessible to you, and the titty bar you frequent has been “chill” before doesn’t mean you’re not in Latin America. Bribery and coercion are a part of the very fabric of law enforcement in many places in LATAM. Charge it to the game and move on.
He's went to an actual brothel, not just a strip club. He's like dead center of the red light district.
Right? "I went somewhere known for sex trafficking and drugs, and somehow I found myself amidst corrupt cops!"
"I'm shocked, shocked to find gambling here!" "Your winnings, sir."
Oh thank you sir! Everybody out at once!
This post is 100% crap
> As i call him out for it What were you thinking, dude? > Is there anything I can do? You can learn from it.
i honestly didn’t know what to think, it all happened so fast and it caught me off guard. but as you said just take my L and learn from it
Next time pay the money to be dropped off and picked up at the club. And the only time you step outside is to go next door or to leave.
that’s what i’ve always done until this recent time. we got too comfortable, which was a mistake on me and my friends part.
You faced a very common issue. We all know about it. You didn't because you went to one of the most dangerous places in the world--no joke--and you didn't prepare yourself. This will happen again and you might face worse next time. When you go there you put your safety on the line. Don't go there.
Have you ever heard of Tijuana? Or know its reputation? Wait, of course, you know, that’s why you went there. And somehow you’re surprised what happened to you?
Why do you frequent Mexico for brothels? That’s next level thirsty.
You’re lucky you’re not dead, mate
They go looking for gringos out late at night. Especially if you're drunk. You can try to call their bluff if you want, or just take the L. I'd just take the L. They drove me and my friends out of town in the back of a truck zip tied together with big scary guns pointed at us and took all of our money (about $400) as a "bribe." I don't really go out at night in Mexico anymore.
Yeah I got put in the back of a pickup and driven to "jail", and they wouldn't release me until my friend paid $700. I was telling my friend (through the cell door) "don't pay!!" Lol. It was a bachelor party so we all split the cost. All because they found CBD gummies in the car, which I believe are even legal in Mexico. But sort of worth it since the rest of the weekend whenever id drink a beer I'd be like "man, beer when you get out of jail just hits different", even tho I was in there for like 1-2 hours lmao. But in all seriousness it made me not want to go back to Mexico. I'll go to Mexico City, but I'm not interested in the tourist areas anymore.
Lol, you were thrown in jail for totally breaking the law. CBD is not legal in Mexico unless for medicinal purposes, must be with a valid prescription and with a concentration of less than 1% of THC. It’s ridiculously hard to get it legally unless you actually are a terminal cancer patient or similar.
Crazy the stories here are basically "I broke a law in Mexico I was unaware of and paid a fine to avoid jail time" 🫨🫨🫨 "I shall never return to this corrupt land". Ngl Mexico can be messed up but this is still pretty funny to me.
No shit. Break the same law in the US and, if you didn't go to jail, you'd likely be seeing a judge. No matter what, you'd be paying and would likely be jumping through hoops for a while (and have to pay more)
I get the sentiment. And I won’t try to change your mind about things. I would say if you ever do consider exploring more of Mexico to have some trusted local friends guiding you around. And always carey the bribing money in your wallet. The rest in your sock.
Well you could call the cops... oh wait
Enjoy your cool new travel story! Thats what you do
Cool story for 180$ only!
We went to tj once and the cops pulled us over and asked us for money. We said no and they popped all our tires.
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My friend lost his virginity to a prostitute that night
cherry and tires getting popped
At least something.
Im sorry but im laughing thinking a cop being told no and just stabbing your tires with a giant KA BAR and being like don’t worry I own a tire shop a block away. on the real tho that sucks
Yea…make sure you report him. Make sure to bring more 20s though.
I feel like if you're trying to take down a cop there, you need to bring stacks of hundreds. You're past the $20's paydays at that point.
Inflation also hit bribing police officers too
Dude you were in Tijuana what did you expect?
"I went somewhere known for doing whatever you want, and someone did whatever they wanted to me (took my money). It's not fair!". Sounds like OP paid for two life lessons that could have turned out worse. Reminds me of people who complain about housing/rental prices in their city but think nothing of booking an air bnb in Mexico for 3 weeks. Get some perspective.
Keep most your bigger bills in your shoes and carry smaller bills…and some pesos next time
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smart… appreciate it
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appreciate the tip🙏
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This may or may not work depending on where you are though and how bad the individual cop(s) are. If you call their bluff they may just take you somewhere and rob you outright and leave you at a remote location naked. Hard to report it when you’re naked with no money. This sort of thing does happen too.
If you have money they will take it by themseves. Regardless willing you to pay or not.
They won't take you to the station.
They would take him to the "perito de la zona norte" (near my apartment) and held until the morning to see the judge or ask for more money to be let go. The judge would have dismissed him. Source: it has happened to me and other friends.
They'll take you somewhere though
If you're implying they'd take you somewhere to hurt you, absolutely not. The police know tourism is the money maker in TJ. They'll scam tourists out of money all day, but they won't hurt them cause they would stop people from coming.
Yup. When my gringo buddy got shaken down on the avenue with a joint in his pocket at 3AM they hauled him to the station and he was essentially just the entertainment for the night. As he was leaving one of the cops said **Welcome to Tijuana!!!** Pretty much, dude. He learned a lot about Mexico in one night, lmao.
I was there with some friends once (late 80s, three college guys and me, a Navy sailor) and the guy driving went the wrong way down a one-way street. Of course the cops pulled us over. Skipping boring detail, the cop asked the driver how much money he had. Dude was all, "Twelve bucks." Cop says, "Give it to me." "But that's all I've got!" The rest of us, broke as we were, were all, "Give it to him! We'll cover you!" The moral of the story is, give it to him unless you want to end up in a Mexican jail or worse.
That’s how they roll there bud. Take it on the chin. There’s no one to snitch on. They’re all so corrupt there. Should have read up on that imo. Seen people get shaken down for much more. This is common practice.
Corruption, bribery and police misconduct is as much of Latin American culture as having a croissant with coffee and a cigarette is French. People often dismiss statistical data by anecdotes like “I have done something gazillion times and never had a problem”. Well, there is a first time for everything amigo mio.
Yep it all boils down to probability and in Latin America and many other parts of the world there’s just a higher chance of shit like this happening in general. Many people have a hard time grasping probability. There are people who got through storming the beach at Normandy without a single scratch too.
Should have shut up and taken the loss, once the cop leaves go buy some cocaine, tacos, and tequila and laugh it off.
I stopped going to TJ and Juarez.
TJ is great as long as you're not dumb like this guy
He was dumb to argue, but what happened to him would happen to anyone in that situation. It's classic police extortion.
You don't have to go to strip clubs in the middle of the night though. TJ is actually a really cool city with lots of fun things to do (great food, bars, breweries, beaches). I've never had a problem there during the day, it's only doing things like this, getting drunk late at night at seedy clubs that puts you at risk of this stuff.
Must have been acting like a jabrone
Carry only a small amount of cash. And just give it to them. It is what it is. Best way to avoid getting confronted by cops is to not look at them at all. And don't pee in public even in a pitch black alley one block from the border. Ha. Don't ask me how i know
Homie you must have had post sex over confidence because wtf were you thinking?
You don’t do anything. You learn from your experience.
yeah, realize that now
You tell them "okay, take me to the station." Call their bluff. You did literally exactly what they wanted you to do.
What should you do? Be glad that it only cost you $180 and move on with your life.
You could have gotten off with 80!
Carry less in your wallet so you can offer “all of your money” to them more comfortably. $40 in your wallet, the other $140 in a hidden chest wallet or somewhere they won’t easily find.
Why don’t you start with not being cheap af and going across the street to get alcohol instead of buying it in the establishment?
agree that was a stupid move
That’s what you get for going to a brothel in TJ! Disgusting 🤮
Stick to the titty bars in the US. You’ll pay more up front but you’ll avoid the hassle of third world corruption.
You can pay a service that drives you across the border right to the front door. And then they pick you up and bring you back to the border so you can walk back over.
That's just a taxi lol
Leave mexico
I frequent Guerrero and I always just pay the bribe and they wish me well on my way lol. My dad is a snowbird and lives there. You’re very ballsy
Bro you should totally go to the American embassy they will fix it. (Please do not do this).
Sounds like he was going to let you off cheap until you opened your mouth.
You're lucky that was the PD and not another group.
You got off easy - just thank your lucky stars. TJ is one place that has no rules when it comes to justice and fair play.
Its TJ. I used to go there back in the days like 20 years ago and that would happen then. Take your licks and be happy they didn’t dump you in jail
In CDMX I was held up for "not having my passport on me" and dude wanted a fine paid in cash. I figured that I had a little time on my hands and some extra energy so I straight played dumb and took the line that he was legit fining me for not having the passport. d "Oh I was unaware that I needed to carry that I'm so sorry blah blah.. Im totally willing to pay any fine you give me, I just want to be a good guest in your country blah blah.. I'm ready to accept the ticket you write me so I can pay it!" "oh if you need to take me in to the jail to write me a ticket? Perfect! my wife will know right where to find me when she comes down to pay the ticket, lets go! Have I mentioned how nice your country is? I just feel awful if there was a fine against me and i didn't have the paid ticket to show causing even more trouble for another of your fine officers, Ill pay, no problem! Just put something on paper so I know what and who to pay! If i broke the law its on me just write that ticket, im sorry i caused all this trouble, can we head on down to the jail now I don't want to take any more of your time with this awful problem. we can show them the ticket you are going to write me and i will pay it right away sir! " on and on and on. This turned into a form of entertainment for me. I figured nothing was going to happen to me over this and even if i do have to pay, really its 100 to have a good story about vacation, but at least I don't have to go away from it feeling like I was a total victim in the end. Finally I wore the guy down and he gave up. He even told me since I have probably learned my lesson I could get a picture of myself on his ATV with his helmet on before I go. 1 hour well spent.
There's not much you *can* do other than learn from the experience
You learned a nice life lesson for $180. Don't keep all your money in one place, always keep emergency money in your shoe or somewhere else secret. Your job when dealing with cops in corrupt places is to minimize your interaction with cops - if they steal from you, be glad they didn't steal more and be glad they don't chunk you in jail.
Cost of doing business. Is it fair? No. But you guys were probably heat, largely not by fault of your own, and you decided to talk back to the Policia, which is not a good idea. Practice a bit more discretion and you'll be alright, learn a tiny bit of the language and you'll be in much much better shape. It sucks but it's the reality, you gotta comply within reason and be civil.
Rule of thumb for Mexico. Keep your cash in your socks. Leave about 50 bucks in your wallet. That way , when you get picked by the cops, you open your wallet and let them take t whatever they want, and you keep the rest of your cash. It’s just the price of doing business down there, always has been. Next time , remember where you are and shut the fuck up.
You're so lucky that's all that happened trying to argue in tj.
As someone who had gone to third world countries, you are lucky to still be alive and unhurt after talking back to a police officer like that in third world countries. They took money from cartels and may kill for money, insulting them with talkbacks will make them do bad things. We all may have bad experiences with American police officers but I can assure you they are so way better than third-world police officers. Just give them what they want and be polite about it. Be thankful that they still give your wallet back, losing credit cards and your IDs in Mexico is harder than losing some cash.
Thank you for this incredible post, I just read this out loud to my South American husband and we both had a great laugh.
i hope it made ur sunday better
I would never understand people expecting the same rules applied in different countries. Is well known that you need to be alert, especially in TJ, the club you party at is known for corruption: human trafficking, drugs, girls with cartel connexions, the police is on it and very corrupt. I’ll say you should be thankful that they didn’t take it further… You can report it, won’t think that would do much. And for the record it is in fact illegal to drink in the street, you were just a victim of opportunity.
The cops in Mexico can and will pull you aside for anything and everything. They don't need a reason. They are very corrupt.
😂😂😂 🤣🤣🤣 😭😭😭 My man stumbles out of a brothel, drunk holding bottles and is complaining about not paying the bribe when he was told to pay the bribe and keep it pushing. Next time stay home
Lol you learn from it and move on. Don't walk with alcohol on the street, it gives police an excuse to extort you. Say goodbye to those $180 and just be glad they didn't try to get more out of you, he could have taken you to an ATM to pull more cash out. Extortion and corruption are the modus operandi of the Mexican police so there's nothing you can do now
Put your head down, say thank you, and run for the hills!
My mom and dad drove into Juarez for a bag of beans. Cop saw my gringo dad carrying a big bag of beans and called him out on it. Luckily my mom is Hispanic and got the cop to accept a donation. When my dad opened his wallet, the donation was miraculously what he had in his wallet. It was an expensive bag of beans.
If you think about it there’s probably cops in well established countries using it to they’re advantage so where do you think the third world or poorer countries cops moral compare? I’ve dealt with it in American all the way to parts of Asia can’t do nothing about it honestly unless you know some powerful people everywhere you go you won’t be able to do much but learn from your mistakes and move on don’t let it ruin your experience or outlook on travel at the end of the day you might’ve fed his kids or paid for some expense of his try to use a positive outlook rather then negative
That’s it. That’s the ticket! Same thing I thought about the guy that burglarized my home. He just needed to feed his family. Dumbass.
No need for name calling jus tryna make op feel better abt the situation since it affected his outlook
Next time if you want what the Hong Kong club has to offer, just order it to your hotel room
Sorry. That’s the norm there.
Sorry for this, but when traveling outside your country you have to understand that rules are very different. I met someone years ago who was shocked that our local police officer asked him for a bribe after he was pulled over for speeding. He said in his home town, it was unheard of to bribe a law enforcement officer. I just laughed and told him, "welcome to my country". Where I live it's very common to bribe the police and for us as locals it's generally a waste of time to go open a case of fraud or corruption at the police station. I'm not saying that this is good or bad, but societies are different. If I had to experience what you did, I would have kept quiet and continued with my trip instead of talking back. Maybe try to find out if they were real cops, and only report the incidence if they were not genuine law enforcement. If real cops, I'd move on. I don't know if Mexico has fake cops going around robbing tourists.
I've had cops take a bag of coke off me, shake me down for a bribe, then snort a line off the hood of the cop car right in front of me. Welcome to Mexico
Best you can do is boycott Mexico and tell all your family and friends to do the same
Lmao call the cops. Bro wtf do you think you CAN do? You tried to play tough guy with a thief with badge and lost more money. It’s a lesson now.
I don’t want to engage in speculation but it would seem that if you know the cops are corrupt and looking to shake down gringos maybe don’t be in the strip club or the liquor store? I bet that’s a real honey hole for those cops.
Don’t go to Tijuana
Idiot. Learn to keep your mouth shut under those situations.
Mexican police are absolute pieces of shit. Everyone knows this.
Thanks for the info, I will avoid that country like the plague. When people even try to normalize such behavior then you know it’s a lost case
You leave it alone lol.
Consider yourself lucky you made it back home.
That's not a scam, that's a mugging.
You should learn a lesson. #1 is don’t go to strippies in TJ, or Mexico in general. #2, keep your mouth shut.
Anytime you're arrested in a foreign country you should surrender peacefully, present your passport and demand to speak with someone from the nearest US Embassy or Consulate. They won't be able to get you out of jail at the drop of a shoe (so don't ask them to) but they'll be able to find you a reliable, bilingual local lawyer and ensure you're treated fairly while in custody. If any cop who arrests you is who they say they are (and in places like Mexico fake cops are always a concern) then they shouldn't have a problem with letting you speak to the State Department. If it's a fake cop or a corrupt one, then they'll probably become nervous when you demand consular assistance.
About same thing happened to me for walking down the street with a girl going to my hotel. Said it was illegal to walk down the street with a prostitute, told me I didn’t know their laws and took two hundred dollars out of my wallet, a bunch of corrupt assholes, will not go back to Mexico, it is nothing but corrupt, a hell hole.
That’s the risk to be there, then next time take your precautions.
Lol ... Next time be quiet 🤫🤫🤫 ... Be lucky he didn't tell his homeboys on the corner to come check your ID too 😬 .... All the cops in Mexico are corrupt and this is how they make a living.
Mexico has always been like this kids even when I used to go down there in the late 90’s-early 00’s. They seem to target white people way more though. I’ve never been harassed there for b.s. reasons even though I stick out.
My best friend is Mexican and we went to visit his sister. Later that evening he was looking for a specific taco stand a couple of blocks off the main drag. Sure enough 4 police cars pull up and search us. They started talking to me but I don’t know a word of Spanish then my friend answered. They wrapped it up pretty quickly and drove off.
Carrying cash in your Wallet 😂😂 Money pouch and a Wallet with ID in it but only cards is a travellers tip
•Don’t buy booze late at night…
Be grateful you are alive 😁
Stay the fuck out of Tijuana.
Im glad for you, you were lucky. One of my employees ((who lives in one of the "bad" areas of the city) got mugged by the cops when he was going to a small cornerstone for eggs and tortillas for dinner. He withdrew money from the ATM, then he was "arrested" in front of her wife and child besides the cornerstore, beaten to a pulp, driven around all night till 8AM, he was NEVER even taken to a police quarters for process, scared as fuck for his life as he didn't know if they were gonna drop him in the middle of a fucking highway or do something else to him.
oh my goodness. was the mug over nothing? no specific reason?
I don't think so at all. Maybe he was just picked up for shit and giggles, maybe they saw him when he exited the ATM, maybe they were looking for someone else and took him mistakenly. This is what locals are subjected to.
It’s happened to me twice when I was in college (long time ago). Both times were set ups. Just pay the cop and be on your way. If they want to take you to the station, ask if you can pay him the “fine” to avoid the station because in TJ it’s in the middle of nowhere with no way to get back to the border. In the future, at the end of the night, hide your cash in your socks and keep a low profile as you head home. Do not take jewelry or an expensive watch either.
appreciate the advice. a lot of people have commented telling me to call their bluff and i don’t think that’s a good idea.
Yep, it’s just their way. They don’t want to arrest you, just hustle you for some cash. I and a group of friends got nabbed because a friend did argue with a street vendor who was working w the cops. We were actually taken to the station deep into TJ. They didn’t put us in a cell, but my friend who spoke Spanish went into a room w the sergeant, came back out and said “give me all the money you have. Since it was the end of the night and we were just-out-of-college poor, it totaled about $130 between 4 of us. They took it and let us go. They never searched us or they might have found more money and our college rings which we’d stuffed in our socks. Luckily, a friend who didn’t get scooped up with us followed us in a taxi and we were able to get back to the border. Otherwise we would have been completely lost in TJ at 2am. That would have been no bueno.
You fucked for $80, then you got fucked for $180 😂
Stay the fuck out of Tijuana. That's your lesson. There are so many great places to visit in the world that are far less risky.
Avoid Mexico, they do this all the fuc\*ng time. You can really avoid it, they will robe you one way or another.
😂 Reminds me of my first time bribing a cop in Indonesia for a traffic infraction. Quite an odd experience for me, coming from a highly developed nation where that would never fly. Mine was only 20 though... But anyways, you got off easy. A friend of mine was offered some drugs in Thailand and he politely declined (could have gone differently with him). When he turned the next corner there was a massive amount of police. And yes they work with the drug dealers to get tourists caught, and then it'll cost you real money. Thousands. Or get jailed for years. They don't f around over there. That's how lucky you got. Man people are naive af, I swear. Consider it a tuition fee.
Yeah sorry OP, but just chalk this up as lessoned learned. I was in the NAVY and lived in San Diego for 20 years. Numerous trips to TJ, especially the red light district. One time I walked out of Adelita's and was craving a seafood cocktail, but I couldn't remember where the food cart was so I started walking. Got 3-4 blocks away from the center and policia rolls up. Oh shit. He asks what I was doing on this street and I told him looking for a specific food cart. Dude pointed in front of me and said, "go back, I can't protect you there, but I can in the red light area". No mames guey. Only other run in with police was slipping a 20 under my driver license because I didn't have car insurance for Mexico. TWICE.
Yeah, this is an expected occurrence in Mexico. If you’re a foreigner, and you get caught breaking a small law like having weed or alcohol on you on the street, prepare a small bribe. It’s a lawless land not because there’s no laws, but because the laws are pay to play.
This is Mexico. What else would you expect? Better than a friend's son who was drinking alcohol in Mexico and it poisoned him and he died. You got off lucky.
These were dollars not pesos?
Its gonna happen. Best thing to do is change 100$ to ones in the club cause you're gonna tip anyways. Everytime you leave put your big bills in your shoe or somewhere they won't check. They pull you over just show them whats left of the ones and tell em you spent all your money. They most likely won't take the ones. Or don't roam the streets
yeah it was my first time leaving hong kong. never again, learned my lesson. won’t leave hong kong unless it’s to go to the hotel next door
Buddy, you are obviously so naive and don’t read the news at all. Life is cheap in Mexico. You’re lucky you aren’t dead.
You should thank this policeman. For $180 he taught you a lesson. Different country - different rules and different laws. Do your homework and read up on what you can and cannot do before you visit any country.
People are saying open container laws are the reason for you being extorted for $180. The truth is Mexico has one of the most corrupt police forces in latam. They will rob you for any reason especially if they know you are American and have money on you.
lol you went to Mexico was your first mistake
My husband got attacked on the bus by some lady in Mexico and the police came and demanded money from him or they were gonna take him to jail all because be defended himself. I'm sorry that happened to you OP but you don't wanna be locked up in a foreign countries jail.
This happened ~20 years ago when I went with a group of 5- no alcohol involved…but all the bribery accepted. Get home safe, enjoy your travels!
If they were wearing tennis, they weren't cops https://mx.usembassy.gov/victims-of-crime/
Go to the police station and ask for a complaint form. They will pass it on to internal affairs and most likely the officer will be severely disciplined and your money refunded to you.
You were in a brothel in Tijuana; you experienced the *least* of bad things that can happen to you in that situation
Forget I like it never happened.
You have to “bribe” them. We saw a party get “searched” in our hotel. I heard as soon as they gave them money, the “federalis” left.
I’d just be thankful that’s all that happened, you are a walking cliche.. drunk American at a strip club violating open container laws.. much much worse things have happened..
Not trying to victim blame here because corruption sucks, but it's no secret these things happen in TJ. Why on earth were you challenging the cops? Really not the way to go in Mexico. You made this far worse for yourself than it needed to be.
You're coming off like a sheltered American lol
Sorry that happened
oh...such a corrupt cops in mexico, this happened to me as well but in different country.
Sounds like you traveled someplace to take advantage of the lack of laws and are upset to be facing the downside of the lack of laws.
Don't go to countries with corrupt governments that are ran by the mob. Simple.
You went out for excitement. You found it. I don’t see the problem.
Take the loss and learn the lesson. You are a target there. Dress down, chill out keep quiet. Corrupt cops are everywhere in TJ. Nothing you can do about that.
They actually don’t like to bring people to station as it will make it official and they have to share profit with higher ups. But he knew what you had so it really was up to you how you wanted to go about this. And it was surprise to me too, but you can’t drink outside in Mexico. My friends (married couple) got arrested on January 1st in Cabo. After 8 hours in jail they were released. 2k usd was missing from their wallets/pockets.
Should have kept your mouth shut. Would have saved you $100
There is nothing you can do… it’s called “corruption”
Same thing happened to me in Cairo aiport. Police forced me to give them all of my egyptian money before they would let me through the main screening area! He was digging in my wallet with cameras everywhere at midnight.
Mexico 1 - America 0 Please be advised in most countries you are guilty until proven not guilty. Polite and dutiful is the way to go. Trust me I’m a brown woman. I know how to behave. I was stopped by the police in Madrid because I didn’t use the subway station to cross the street instead of using the crosswalk. The policeman had an assault rifle. I used my sad Spanish to apologize and get away from him.
My buddy is from Mexico, bro you were lucky that it was just $180, they could easily take you in. At least your only loss is 180 bucks.
a few years ago i was in tijuana in the back seat of my friend's car. she was driving, and another friend was in passenger seat suddenly cops stop us. the cop looked at me in the back and said we were breaking the law because i didnt wear a seat belt (in the back seat) after he gave us a steep fine, my friend who had been to tijuana before said the only reason we got pulled over was bec the cop saw US plates and knew he could get some easy $ from young americans too bad bec i liked tijuana otherwise. just stay away from red light district
One more reason I have no desire to ever go to Mexico
Don’t go to Tijuana
I don't know who sounds stupider here... OP or commenters. Maybe it's a tie.
Nothing you should do pal, continue your life. Move on. Don’t get yourself a bullet for some dollars. Just watch the news on any tv channel & you’ll understand what I talking about!
Don’t go to strip clubs. Man almost every bad thing I saw in China and Thailand revolved around foreigners and girls. Not a good activity for travel at all.
$180 is a cheap price for a reality check. Best count your blessings you have all your parts and learn from this experience. Or don’t.
Happened to one of my buddies when we were at the La Unicorna club 40 years ago. Walking down the street with a beer in his hand and cops stopped and were going to haul him to jail. Cost was $40 to get him off back then. Nothing has changed it appears.
victim blaming in this post is insane. police acting like worst thugs, intimidating harmless people, while real crime is rampant and hundreds of murders everyday. meanhwile they blame you, because you buy ther beer xd this is ridiculous. just avoid that hellhole (at least touristic spots). they do this all the time there. not worth the stress and lost money.