Is Cozumel safe from drug cartels?

[The Chairman]

What? You think the media might blow things out of proportion? Look at all the oil Florida is NOT covered in. They destroyed our economy in order to make a buck. I think that they are alarmists looking to benefit off of any possible story they can conjure up. They are incredibly irresponsible. I would ban them if they were on ScubaBoard! [/rant]

 

[deborahdelamar]

Nice travel-industry article that speaks to this: President Felipe Calderon, tour guide - Travel Weekly

 

[lamont]

Okay, I'm not a newbie. I've been to Cozumel, Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Isla Mujeres on several occasions. However, I read today about the slaying in Acapulco, which is a tourist destination.

The logic that since Can/Coz/PDC/etc are "tourist destinations" and therefore safe is clearly a lie. Its a bit like all the lies about how housing prices never can fall prior to the 2006 (just don't look at Japan in the 80s, that could never happen here). Acapulco clearly puts that to the lie. So I wouldn't believe anyone who claims that it could never ever happen because of tourism.

However, it is true that its a bit like worrying about visiting Seattle because of the homicide rate in New Orleans.

There have been some incidents, but it has been mexicans killing other mexicans that are involved in the drug trade. Last tourist that got murdered in Cancun was killed by her husband.

 

[firstdive2005]

My wife and I went to St. Lucia in 2004. Just before we got there and man went berserk in his little village north of Soufriere where we where staying. I was the one doing the planning and immediately regretted telling my sweet little wife,(who says sorry for killing flys) the story of this man killing his family. She was totally worried about this places' safety. Wasnt much I could do except tell her that I'd email her some pictures of what this little bit of paradise looks like. And try and bring home some souvenirs that I think she'd have liked to pick out. Well, dont do that unless sex isnt important.
Coz is a really cool safe place. Can I say that there isnt going to be a nasty moment happen here, no, but what I can say is, if it does happen the chances are way, way less than in my home town, especially where my church is near in Edmonton. It's on the ave, more commonly called shooter alley. I dont know of any areas called that here.
By the way we went once again after the first time to St. Lucia but nothing has ever beaten Coz for, crap I cant explain it, I just love it hear.

 

[darook]

I was in Coz last month and thought it felt very safe. I was not out late but it did not feel threatening anywhere that I went. I felt safer there than in a few parts of Curacao. The most dangerous part of the island as mentioned in a previous thread are the sidewalks.

 

[playadelloco]

ddeborahdelamar, thanks for that article. We all know here that it's safe there but I'm going to look into adding a link to that article to my site. It's difficult not to shake your head when people outside Mexico mention how 'dangerous' Mexico is.

 

[robbcayman]

Great info, guys. I figured it was a bunch of scare tactics by the media. We will try to be like shadows, so the cartel can't find us. We will use aliases and wear dark sunglasses to avoid suspicion as tourists.

 

[Jim Baldwin]

Great info, guys. I figured it was a bunch of scare tactics by the media. We will try to be like shadows, so the cartel can't find us. We will use aliases and wear dark sunglasses to avoid suspicion as tourists.

Now remember it's white socks with sandals until Easter then it's strictly black. Otherwise you can plan on getting a ticket.

 

[Ms. Ann Thrope]

Also, have you regulars noticed a stepping up of police/soldier presence at the airports? I've always been pretty aware of how often the navy boats are zipping up and down the coast, but these last couple of times, I've noticed more armed men with trained dogs at the airport--or maybe I just wasn't paying attention years ago. Either way, I think it speaks to a commitment to keep major drug trouble off the island.

Also, last time we were there we saw a US navy ship and US sailors (on what looked like Mexican armed trucks) on the island. Wasn't sure what that might be about. Fam tour??

I'll chime in and say that I always feel pretty safe there as well--but then again, I live close to a somewhat rough neighborhood at home.

 

[deborahdelamar]

Whether you knew it or not, dogs have been sniffing luggage at CZM for many years. The Federal government tightened security all international ports in 2008, I believe it was, and put the military in charge to reduce or eliminate official corruption and improve vigilance. That's when the guys with guns were stationed visibly in the airport.

The US Coast Guard cooperates with the Mexican Navy in many areas and USCG ships visit Cozumel quite often. As a tourist some years ago, I did a double take when I was walking along the malecon one evening and heard The Star Spangled Banner. Last summer, the USCGC Eagle was in port for several days for a crew changeover -- nice to have such a beautiful ship visiting us...