TULUM, MX – In response to escalating crime rates, Mexican authorities are intensifying law enforcement efforts in Tulum, a popular tourist hotspot, aiming to foster a safer and more peaceful environment.
Mayor Diego Castañón Trejo of Tulum has announced the deployment of an additional 30 Mexican Navy personnel to augment the existing law enforcement force in the bustling Caribbean coastal city. This addition will bolster the total personnel count to over 250.
The current law enforcement team in Tulum comprises around 250 active military members, nearly 40% of whom hail from the Navy, according to Trejo.
This move comes in the wake of a tragic incident in April when a Mexican tourist was fatally shot at a Tulum resort. The victim reportedly resisted surrendering his high-priced watch to robbers and was subsequently shot.
In 2023, the U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory urging tourists to exercise heightened caution in beach resorts like Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum, particularly after sunset. These areas have previously grappled with drug-related gang violence.
In the preceding year, two Canadians were murdered in Playa del Carmen, allegedly due to conflicts among international drug and weapons trafficking gangs.
In 2021, Tulum witnessed the tragic deaths of two tourists, one a travel blogger from California of Indian origin and the other a German national. They were purportedly caught in a crossfire between feuding drug dealers.