Covid testing in Cozumel

[ducatiwv]

Oh yeah - I forgot about your trip. Are you going to write up a trip report (or did you and I missed it)?

Our Dive was cancelled was only going one day this time, this was my second trip within 2 months, first trip got to dive one day, and with Dive with Martin, Jorge was our divemaster and highly recommend diving with them! Second trip got 2 tickets within 2 days from the local Motorcycle police, they seem to be targeting tourists, I m so disappointed, love Cozumel, but not sure when I m going back, my friends who live there say this is becoming a problem.

 

[Kimela]

Our Dive was cancelled was only going one day this time, this was my second trip within 2 months, first trip got to dive one day, and with Dive with Martin, Jorge was our divemaster and highly recommend diving with them! Second trip got 2 tickets within 2 days from the local Motorcycle police, they seem to be targeting tourists, I m so disappointed, love Cozumel, but not sure when I m going back, my friends who live there say this is becoming a problem.

There was dive guide named Jorge on our boat with Scuba with Alison - nice guy - very thin, and wore two or three wetsuits! What did you get ticketed for? I hope you won't stay away from the island for that reason alone - but I understand it's no fun to get hassled, especially if it seems you were unfairly targeted.

 

[gopbroek]

Our Dive was cancelled was only going one day this time, this was my second trip within 2 months, first trip got to dive one day, and with Dive with Martin, Jorge was our divemaster and highly recommend diving with them! Second trip got 2 tickets within 2 days from the local Motorcycle police, they seem to be targeting tourists, I m so disappointed, love Cozumel, but not sure when I m going back, my friends who live there say this is becoming a problem.

The customs folks at the airport have been 'hungry' since last fall also. Personal theory is they are probably the only person in an extended family that is working and things are getting desperate. There is minimal work in the tourist industry for.other family members and Mexico has minimal safety net. No stimulus checks for both the unemployed and fully employed like the USA.
Was it the municipal or state police and did they hit you up to 'take care of it' by the road and if so how much for what specific infraction?

 

[ReefHound]

The customs folks at the airport have been 'hungry' since last fall also. Personal theory is they are probably the only person in an extended family that is working and things are getting desperate. There is minimal work in the tourist industry for.other family members and Mexico has minimal safety net. No stimulus checks for both the unemployed and fully employed like the USA.
Was it the municipal or state police and did they hit you up to 'take care of it' by the road and if so how much for what specific infraction?

Times are hard but extorting and robbing tourists is a good way to kill the goose. Bad reputations don't take long to acquire but can take very long to shed. Getting shaken down at customs is not a great way to start a trip and doesn't put on in the mood to be generous. The customs guy or cop may be feeding his family a few nights with a shakedown but he might be putting the hurt on a bunch of other families when the victim curtails his spending or cancels his next trip and tells his story to all his friends.

 

[gopbroek]

Times are hard but extorting and robbing tourists is a good way to kill the goose. Bad reputations don't take long to acquire but can take very long to shed. Getting shaken down at customs is not a great way to start a trip and doesn't put on in the mood to be generous. The customs guy or cop may be feeding his family a few nights with a shakedown but he might be putting the hurt on a bunch of other families when the victim curtails his spending or cancels his next trip and tells his story to all his friends.

While I whole heartily agree with your analysis of the long term damage I do not think any criminal (in uniform or out) has ever been been concerned with the long term consequences to society as a whole from their criminal act.

 

[ReefHound]

While I whole heartily agree with your analysis of the long term damage I do not think any criminal (in uniform or out) has ever been been concerned with the long term consequences to society as a whole from their criminal act.

I'm glad you called them criminals because it had sounded to me like you were excusing or justifying it. It's true that crooks are concerned about themselves not the community but that's where the local government needs to step in and protect the community. Is there any efforts being made by government to catch these scammers and fire them or prosecute them? A government that blindly looks the other way is effectively sanctioning it.

 

[Kimela]

The customs folks at the airport have been 'hungry' since last fall also. Personal theory is they are probably the only person in an extended family that is working and things are getting desperate.

I don't think @ducatiwv said anything about being harassed at customs - it was a couple of motorcycle tickets. Have you or @ReefHound heard about problems at customs when you fly in? I have heard it's pretty common to get the shakedown at the border when driving in - but not flying in. If you have other info, please share.

Also, I had heard that some businesses in Cozumel were required to continue paying employees during covid. Maybe it was dependent on the size of the company or the type of business? Or maybe I dreamed it? Maybe someone who lives/works on the island can clarify? (sorry if this is asking a question that has been asked and answered repeatedly).

 

[gopbroek]

I don't think @ducatiwv said anything about being harassed at customs - it was a couple of motorcycle tickets. Have you or @ReefHound heard about problems at customs when you fly in? I have heard it's pretty common to get the shakedown at the border when driving in - but not flying in. If you have other info, please share.

Also, I had heard that some businesses in Cozumel were required to continue paying employees during covid. Maybe it was dependent on the size of the company or the type of business? Or maybe I dreamed it? Maybe someone who lives/works on the island can clarify? (sorry if this is asking a question that has been asked and answered repeatedly).

Never previously in Cozumel but starting last fall I started hearing of shakedowns at customs in Cozumel. I noticed they stopped relying primarily on the red light / green light button and kept the search / examination tables full and would search the travelers bags very thoroughly. What is or is not duty free seemed to be fluid from one customs person to the next and exorbitant fines were being proposed. When the traveler balked the customs official would type a message on their cell phone to the effect of 'Put x dollars in your passport and then let me examine it' the money would then disappear when they examined the passport. Customs is a federal entity and not under the city or state officials. From the stories I have heard of customs actions on the land borders Cozumel customs is pretty tame.

 

[Kimela]

When the traveler balked the customs official would type a message on their cell phone to the effect of 'Put x dollars in your passport and then let me examine it' the money would then disappear when they examined the passport. Customs is a federal entity and not under the city or state officials.

Wow! I wonder what they would do if the traveler had no cash? I guess I'll keep dressing like a pauper when I travel so I don't make myself a target of hungry customs agents. I only take cheap jewelry on vacation for fear of theft and loss, and leave my engagement ring home in the safe. This is really disappointing.

 

[gopbroek]

Wow! I wonder what they would do if the traveler had no cash? I guess I'll keep dressing like a pauper when I travel so I don't make myself a target of hungry customs agents. I only take cheap jewelry on vacation for fear of theft and loss, and leave my engagement ring home in the safe. This is really disappointing.

I truly hope this is transitory but fear that once the toothpaste is out of the tube its difficult to get it back in.