On Apr 16, 6:31=A0pm, Don Gabacho <jpast...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> Information for
Travelershttp://tijuana.usconsulate.gov/avoid-crime-in-baj=
a.html
>
> Avoid being a victim of crime in Baja California
>
> Personal Safety: Visitors should be aware of their surroundings at all
> times, even in areas generally considered safe. Women traveling alone
> are especially vulnerable and should exercise caution, particularly at
> night. Victims, often those who are unaccompanied, have been raped,
> robbed of personal property, or abducted and then held while their
> credit cards were used at various businesses and Automatic Teller
> Machines (ATMs). U.S. citizens should be very cautious in general when
> using ATMs in Mexico. If an ATM must be used, it should be accessed
> only during the business hours at large protected facilities
> (preferably inside commercial establishments, rather than at glass-
> enclosed, highly visible ATMs on streets). U.S. and Mexican citizens
> are sometimes accosted on the street and forced to withdraw money from
> their accounts using their ATM cards.
>
> Kidnapping, including the kidnapping of non-Mexicans, continues at
> alarming rates. So-called "express kidnappings," attempts to get quick
> cash in exchange for the release of an individual, have occurred in
> almost all the large cities in Mexico and appear to target the middle
> class as well as the wealthy.
>
> Criminal assaults occur on highways throughout Mexico; travelers
> should exercise caution at all times, avoid traveling at night, and
> may wish to use toll (=93cuota=94) roads rather than the less secure
> =93free=94 (=93libre=94) roads whenever possible. Keep your car doors
lock=
ed
> and your windows up while driving in town. When in heavy traffic or
> when stopped in traffic, leave enough room between vehicles to
> maneuver and escape, if necessary. In addition, U.S. citizens should
> not hitchhike with, accept rides from, or offer rides to, strangers
> anywhere in Mexico. Tourists should not hike alone in backcountry
> areas, nor walk alone on lightly-frequented beaches, ruins, or trails.
>
> Harassment/Extortion: The U.S. Consulate General in Tijuana receives
> numerous re****ts of extortion by supposed police officers in Baja
> California. Sometimes the perpetrators are actual police officers, and
> sometimes they are criminals using fake police uniforms and
> credentials. You can minimize your vulnerability by obeying Mexican
> law. As in the United States, you can be arrested in Mexico for:
>
> =95 Public drunkenness
> =95 Drunken or reckless driving
> =95 Public urination or indecent exposure
> =95 Fighting
> =95 Lewd or lascivious conduct
> =95 Possession of illegal drugs, including marijuana
>
> If you are stopped by a police officer in Mexico, be aware that they
> cannot legally accept cash payments for fines, and that offering a
> bribe to an officer is a serious crime. In addition, tourists should
> be wary of persons representing themselves as police officers or other
> officials. When in doubt, ask for identification.
>
> If you are the victim of police extortion, please contact the U.S.
> Consulate. To file a complaint, it is helpful, but not absolutely
> necessary, to have the officer=92s name, badge number, and patrol car
> number. If you were not able to obtain those, it may still be possible
> to identify the officer based on physical appearance and the time and
> place that the event occurred. If you file a complaint, Consulate
> staff will assist you in every step of the process.
>
> It is increasingly common for extortionists to call prospective
> victims on the telephone, often posing as law enforcement or other
> officials, and demand payments in return for the release of an
> arrested family member, or to supposedly forestall a kidnapping.
> Prison inmates using smuggled cellular phones often place these calls.
> Persons receiving such calls should be wary, as many such demands or
> threats are baseless, and should attempt to contact the family member
> as soon as possible. If you cannot reach the missing individual, and
> believe he or she may have run afoul of criminals or of the law, you
> may contact the Consulate, the U.S. Embassy, or the Department of
> State for assistance.
>
> For additional information, travelers should refer to the Department
> of State=92s Country Specific Information for Mexico and the latest
> Travel Alert for Mexico, and the publication Help for American Victims
> of Crime Overseas.
BOYCOTT MEXICO!
http://www.boycottmexiconow.com/
- Stewart (San Diego Minutman)
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