This is the Story of Extortion of a Cancun Agency Client

[sussan]

This Could Happen to You if You Hire an Escort through an Agency in Cancun

I knew about it but I never pay serious attention to it:
Hiring escorts in Cancun is legal only if they are independents, supposedly to prevent white slavery and trafficking of women.

I have been a regular tourist to Cancun since 1998. After my divorce in 2003, when I visited Cancun I made arrangements for an independent escort whom I contacted over the Internet. During each of my Cancun visits since that time I always contacted an independent escort who accompanied me.

However, in December 2011 while already down there in Cancun, I made the mistake of contacting an agency for an escort. The agency looked very formal and claimed to offer lower prices than independent escorts.

The agency seemed efficient and I was convinced to use their services. The agency offered to send a driver to my hotel to take me to their facility to meet the girls and to select a girl of my choice. I declined the driver offer but did take a taxi to the agency facility. The facility was a quiet place, with security cameras everywhere and with guards posted at different points in and outside the facility.

After choosing one of the girls, I made arrangements for the service the following day and agreed to the time and cost (I was surprised at the lower prices for the girls services, the ages of the girls and especially, that most of the girls said that they were not Mexican.

There was no problem the next day when the girl came to my room at the agreed time for the four hour agreed upon time. At that time I was happy about the lower cost for the girl’s service.

The next day things take a very bad turn. I left my hotel for a walk around the shops and malls near my hotel. As I reached the sidewalk a police patrol car stopped next to me. The police officers, in poor English, asked me for my identification and name. They then took my identification and told me I was being arrested for contracting for sexual services through an agency which is not legal in Cancun. I was told to get into the patrol car and keep quiet. I was told that if I did not keep quiet I would be placed in handcuffs.

After getting into the patrol car I was also told to give up my watch, cell phone, wallet, belt and shoes or I would be placed in handcuffs. I gave them up to try to avoid further conflict.

I was then taken to a small building in an uninhabited and unpleasant section about what I thought was one hour away.
I was place in a dark, unfurnished room and told that they would soon speak to me. After about 20 minutes another officer, less rude than those who drove me, spoke to me and told me that I had committed a serious crime by contracting for sex services by a girl from an escort agency and that I would face changes. I was told that I could be imprisoned for 5 – 10 years.

He showed me a book written in Spanish, which I did not understand, and said that the charges against me were recorded. At that time I began to panic. I tried to explain to him that the agency assured me that they were perfectly legal. I told him I had visited Mexico for many years and had always hired independent girls. But that this was the first time I ever hired a girl from an agency. I tried to explain that did not know that it was illegal to hire a girl trough an agency and had no intention of doing anything wrong. Whatever I said made no difference. In fact I was in tears by that time.

He told me I could request a lawyer, but that they had all the evidence of my crime; the girl's name, the amount I paid, the time she was with me and they knew that I had gone to the agency facility to choose an agency girl. He assured me that, if necessary, it would be easy for them to convince the employees of the agency and the taxi driver who took me there, to testify against me.

While he made efforts to tell me that I had no way to get rid from this situation, I understood that someone had betrayed, probably an employee of the agency was in collusion with these policemen, and that I might be being set up for blackmail. I knew that I had to be very careful not to offer any money because I could be in more trouble.

About what I thought was one later, they made their extortion move. They told me that they would not get anything by turning me over to the prison authorities and that they could lose their jobs if anything bad happened. They then told me that I could give them a good reward that they would pretend that I was not the man sought and that everything would be forgotten.

I asked how much it would cost for such a favor and in return I was asked how much my freedom was worth to me. I was laughed at by one of the police officers when I said that I only had $500 in my wallet which they already had and that they could keep

At that time another more threatening officer came in and told me that I had 5 minutes to resolve the situation and my freedom would cost me $5000 or they would turn me over to the prison authorities. Later another office came in and asked me if I could get the $5000 from credit card or a combination of other items of value. I told him that I could not get that much together in cash.

The officer left the room without a reply. A short time later the police officers said that they were going to take me to prison authorities. Hearing that, I panicked and told them that if they took me to my hotel would give almost $3000 I had in my room safe and that I might be able to get $900 from a local ATM machine. I also told them that they could keep my laptop, cell phone, watch and the clothes I had in the hotel room.

The officers change their police outfits to dress casual. Then put me in an old car and drove to the escort agency facility. At the facility one cop got out and went into the agency. A short time later he came out I was then driven to my hotel. I was given my shoes and then was accompanied into the hotel by the two police. I was told to not do anything to raise suspicion when going into the hotel.

The officers accompanied me to my room where I removed $3300 from the safe and give to them. I was then accompanied out of the hotel to an ATM machine where I was able to withdraw additional $1200 that I also gave to them. They returned my personal documents, including my passport, and told me that if I were to accuse them of anything, I would not reach the airport to leave.

They then laughingly shook my hand and said that I should only hire independent escorts, because only independents are legal in Mexico.

People at hotel and Consulate told me this is becoming more frequent with agencies since the approval of the new Mexican law against Trafficking in Women. So guys, you must fit to laws, and search for independent girls only, if you still want to play the game legally in Mexico.

J

 

[cancuncan]

Correction: Escort Agencies are LEGAL in Cancun

Hiring escorts in Cancun is legal only if they are independents, supposedly to prevent white slavery and trafficking of women.

J

I'm sorry you were extorted in that way. That sounds like a terrible experience. Based on your account of what happened, you didn't break any Mexican laws.

However, the quoted sentence is totally inaccurate.

Prostitution and escort services (independent and agencies) are completely legal, regulated industries in Mexico. The transaction just cannot occur in public. Pimping is illegal as a petty crime though.

Also, the laws regarding police apprehension are stricter in Mexico than in the USA. You can't be detained in Mexico without an arrest warrant signed by a judge. If something like this ever happens to anyone reading this post, make sure you ask to see the warrant. If you are detained absent a warrant, then immediately ask to speak to an attorney. Just doing those two things will likely let the corrupt cops know there are probably easier extortion targets out there.