How I Handle Police Corruption When Driving in Mexico 

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I'm Mexican myself, all I can ask to all expats is " please don't pay the braving, we are trying to clean our country and get rid of all kinds of corruption, so please help us out and enjoy our country!!

Hey Paul, had a similar experience with a cop on the Panamanian Highway. He only spoke Spanish so I kept saying “So sorry no comprende” he got frustrated and let me go after 10 minutes or so.😂

I was shaken down. But I went to the police station to report it. I knew it wouldn’t help, but I told the officer in charge that I was shaken down for a lot more than I actually was, just to stir the pot, because surely many were in on it, and someone ended up in a world of hurt for holding back funds.

Thanks for your video. On our way from La Paz to Cabo (BCS) we had a flat tire. We were unable to loosen the lug nuts to change the tire. Green Angels were not around. A National Guard patrol stopped and changed the tire for us. Both young men were polite, efficient and professional in their help. We are senior citizens and permanent residents. We were very thankful, got their names and afterwards sent our congrats and appreciation to their superior. It was a positive experience and love to share it!

I used to work for an American manufacture that had a factory in Tecate Mexico. When we would schedule a trip to the Mexican factory we would first stop at our warehouse on the US border. There a human resource employee would brief us how to "get along" in Mexico. The main thing was we were each given business cards for a lawyer in Tecate. This lawyer was the brother in law of the Mayor. Our company paid this lawyer a special fee to insure respect was shown to the Mayor. When the local police would stop you, all you had to do was give them a business card and ask them to call your lawyer. The local police would quickly hand the card back and apologize for stopping us. They were terrified of extorting money from a gringo that was already paying protection money to the Mayor (filtered through his brother in law.)

I’m from MX and the advices you Provided are very accurate . Grettings to all the US citizens that visit or live in México. 🇺🇸🇲🇽

I'm mexican and a lawyer, ive been in similar situations and yes, this is the correct way of handeling this case.

I have gotten stopped a few times, I have been threatened with all sorts of stuff (arrest, vehicle seizure, etc), but I always ask for a citation, never gotten one yet. I always tell the truth even when it is my fault and that has been the outcome.

Your description of the recent experience is EXACTLY like every experience of mine where I chose to not pay “mordida”. I paid it twice only because it was to my convenience. Each time it was no more than $300pesos. I learned from my Mexican friends all the way back in 1986 that the last thing they want is to go back to the station, losing valuable grifting time.

Paul, thanks for another great video! We have driven roughly 8000 KM (with foreign plates in a bright red Jeep) throughout MX in the last year and so far we have been blessed with encountering kind helpful officers. We do have a dash cam and my phone sits in a mount on my dash as I use it for navigation. It points towards me and essentially the driver’s side window. When going through check stops I often see the officers look at my dash cam and phone. I have been asked to present papers which we do and they review and send us on our way. I pray we will continue to encounter good folks and not have to mess with a negative situation. I do feel better prepared from watching and reading your advice! Robert

Great video!!! Went to Chiapas in August to visit friends. My friend is from Mexico and he was driving us around. We got pulled over at a road black. A total of 4 officers and 7 firearms. They followed the shakedown recipe as stated in your video. My friend told them several times to simply give him the ticket so he could pay the fine. The police caved after about 10 minutes and returned his documents and license plate. It is so important to stay calm and be respectful during these situations. It is more effective than getting an attitude with law enforcement.

Truly love a youtuber telling the truth (good and bad) about Mexico. Too many only want to focus on the sunshine and butterflies.

Great advice. When we were moving to Mx we got stopped in Puebla. We had been warned about the cops so knew what to expect. We ended up paying the bribe but they gave us a “receipt” which we were told could be used to pay no further bribes for the rest of the trip.

Happened to me too in Cancun ! Crazy thing is : after I payed the BRIBE , I turned at the next u turn and when I drove back into Cancun they saw me and the craziest thing is they stopped me again and handed me over the money ! Made excuses and waved me goodbye ! ( they might have been scared me driving to the nearest police station) and … by the way I wasn’t even speeding 😅

Never thought I’d see the day a youtube tutorial on corrupt cops exists

I was visiting Mexico with my BIL who was born in Mexico. I was driving, and we get pulled over, several miles out of Oaxaca. I’m white, BIL is Mexican, but of a somewhat lighter complexion. I speak fluent Spanish, but the cop comes up to the window and starts speaking in English. Says we were doing 95 KPH in a 55 KPH zone and says he’s gonna have to take the vehicle. I respond in English, explaining that there was no way I was doing 95 and he must be mistaken. He starts explaining that we can pay a fine instead, to avoid having our vehicle taken. BIL chimes in with Spanish, explaining that we weren’t going to be paying a fine, and they weren’t taking our vehicle, and that it would be best for everyone if they let us go on with our day. I reaffirm this in Spanish as well; the cop seems caught off guard, and goes back to his vehicle for a few minutes, (probably deciding on what to do), and says he’s going to do us a favor and give us a break. We laugh, “thank” him for his generosity, and carried on. I was honestly scared, but my BIL said it happens all the time, and once you let them know you aren’t a clueless tourist, it usually resolves the issue.

I give THEM the duplicate license that I carry just for this. Another thing that works is not speaking any Spanish. I just ask for the ticket in English, play dumb. Give nothing. CDMX is super crooked but I'll sit there all day if I have to. Don't give in. Great video

Nice breakdown, pretty accurate down to every stage. I live in Playa Del Carmen, I travel to Tulum daily for work. This happens to me all the time in Tulum. If you don't take the bribe 9/10 they drive away with no ticket issued. Also, there is a law in Q.Roo that protects tourists from small first time traffic infractions.

The way I fixed corruption in Mexico is sold my property and moved to the Philippines and never had a problem again. It’s been amazing

I've been in a similar situation in Mexico, but hadn't done anything wrong. It was total extortion and am sure the cop stopped me just because I was driving a rental car in a tourist area. He tried to take my drivers license, but gave him a copy of my drivers license instead, which really pissed him off. He then told me I could pay him $200.00 US dollars in cash or the equivalent in pesos and I refused to pay. I told him to take me to the Policia station and I’d pay the fine there. He shook his head in frustration, walked away and drove off. After that I always take private transfers from and back to the airport and use Ubers, Taxis, Buses and Collectivos in-between.

I was stopped last week in Merida on the wraparound highway, the Periferico. This was an organized checkpoint, where police were checking and often shaking down people en masse. I was told I would be cited because I didn't have something red hanging off the end of some rain gutters I had just bought and that were sticking about 2 feet beyond the end of my pickup. The officer (and I use that term very loosely) took my license and registration and basically said that I would not get either of them back unless I paid..... the infraction to be paid at the office would be 1500 pesos, but maybe something could be arranged. I played the no habla Español card and said that I only had 100 pesos on me. I was really worried about leaving my documents behind, because they sometimes get lost, and that would be a real hassle. So 100 pesos changed hands, and that was it. I got away easy, but I was just surprised that this shakedown was so ridiculously blatant and obvious. They are supposed to only check plates, but seem to have a free hand to do whatever they please. I have seen these checkpoints a few times now, sometimes 5 or 6 of them on a 50km stretch of highway. It was not my first run-in with police corruption in Mexico, but the last one occurred more than 25 years ago.....hopefully not again!

In San Felipe, BC my friend and I were pulled over for going on our bikes 60 mph in a 45 kph zone. Oops! A little chat with a super friendly guy who spoke better English than I do. Offered a "roadside settlement". We answered, "it depends". He wanted to take a trophy picture squeezing my helmeted head. DEAL! A good day. No shakedown, no threats, no ticket. Nevertheless, you are right on. Thank you.

Thank you for your video! So true when I visited Puerto Vallarta, I got pulled twice on the same day! The second time, I told the cop "your too late, the first guy already pulled me over" and they let me go!

Good advice. Thank you. I have been lucky 16 winters in Guaymas, Sonora and 1) I have not been stopped for something I did not do; 2) When I once did something wrong, I apologized and said that I did not understand his hand traffic signals; and 3) I have never been solicited for a bribe nor paid one in Mexico. The advice I heard was to offer to go to the police station to pay the infraction. That is what I will do if it ever happens to me. Lucky, I guess.

Yes! I have had the same experience, great advice. You can also keep an extra wallet with only 200 pesos in it so they can’t ask for all your cash. My friend had a terrible experience and they took everything from her wallet. I think the key is to be polite and stay relaxed. I have always tried to get the ticket and they have always been frustrated and just let me go.

Great video. Police corruption is endemic and been going on for decades in Mexico. It’s a malady the government is trying to clean against all odds and we have to be part of that process by standing out ground and not paying bribes anymore. I hope we all follow this advice and I hope my future life in México finds that beloved country 🇲🇽 better than when I left 36 years ago!

I know there's over a thousand comments on here, but I just have to say thank you for this!! Just got shaken down in exactly the way you described about 2 hours ago. Showed him the document about being a tourist and getting a warning and then another guy showed up, looked at it, and eventually they let me go! I would've been so scared if not for this but I kept it together and it was fine! Thank you thank you thank you!

Outstanding and replete information. You are helping a lot of people. Blessings!

This is an excellent video, thank you so much. I recently received a ticket in Puerto Peñasco for something I didn’t do, however I was alone in the car and both the officer and his partner “saw” me. I felt cornered and was not a happy camper - but at least they didn’t ask for money but explained the procedure. I followed them to the police station and paid a $39 fine. I also asked for a receipt in case there were any issues down the line. I’m spending several months in Baja and this is good information to have.

Thank you for this, Paul! We just watched again. We live in Zihuatanejo and were pulled over last night just as we arrived home. The officer said we ran a red light. It was actually yellow. He asked for my husband's driver's license, and said he had to keep it as guarantee of payment. I asked him to give us a ticket, if he must, or let's go to the police station. He said it was closed (about 8pm) and had his citation book out. But he gave my husband back his license and said to be careful next time.

This just happened to me tonight!! First time in Mexico, doesn’t make me want to come back…shame on these corrupt people bringing shame to their country.

Well done. As a tourist, I very much appreciate the efforts of Mexico to keep the areas I frequent safe. I recently witnessed CLOSE UP the brave actions of the Mexican Marines in addressing drug violence where they went toward, not away from the danger. Yes there are bad actors, but the same can be said of the US, if not necessarily the same frequency level. I appreciate the fact that you're providing advice for dealing with the bad actors without crapping on others in Mexican law enforcement that are trying to make a difference and putting their lives on the line to do so. Thumbs up.

I've been traveling in Mexico since I was eight and been stopped only once by los quicos and did not pay a mordita. Your advice is good, but the best advice is to learn to habla in Spanish. You have helped with your Spanish lessons. Also, I had more trouble with quicos in the US than ever in Mexico. Gracias.

Thanks! We are planning/ hoping to move to Mexico soon, and your videos are some of the most helpful I have found

Things must have changed a lot from the 90’s and early 2000’s. I made approx 10 trips to Cancun and we would routinely rent a car and drive down 307 making stops along the way back and forth to Tulum. We never once had any problems with police or locals. In fact, at that time we were told that the tourist areas were safe because the locals enjoyed the revenues from tourism and didn’t want to scare tourists off from returning again. They were in fact interested in protecting their reputation. It’s a shame that crime has crept in. I’m glad we had so many great years there, where the Mexican people, in general, were so gracious.

Very good video to help us end corruption. I'm Mexican and I applaud 👏 you!

I live in Honduras and the last time I got stopped for a mordita was at a checkpoint. They always ask where you're going and lately I've stopped giving details. This guy couldn't tell me why he pulled me over. Finally he said that my extra headlights were illegal. I was like, just give me the ticket, three or four times. He threatened to keep my license, i said fine. He threatened to search my car. Finally he notices my DASH CAM and decided to give up. I guess he realized that he had been recorded.

Excellent. I travel solo in Mexico via motorcycle. My last was in San Luis Potosí. Pulled over at a Pemex. Cop wanted $200 to make my speeding ticket go away. An hour of firm, but friendly discussion ensued. He made veiled threats to seize my motorcycle unless I complied…and on and on…finally he told me he couldn’t stay any longer. He gave me my documents back and offered to give me an escort to my hotel! You gotta love Mexico, Lol

This is good advice. Another thing to note is that every second of their time you waste, they're not making money extorting other people. They also don't want to impound your car or take you to the delegacion because their supervisors expecting them to make as much $ as possible. Yep, they share bribes all the way up the chain. (expat in Mexico city; learned this from locals)

I have driven extensively in northern Mexico, and this guy is spot on.

In this part of Sonora, for a while, people carried two wallets when driving, one with about $20 usd and the other was their everyday, real wallet. If you get stopped by the cops drag out the wallet with no money in it. The local police also sell stickers at Christmas to raise money for the local orphanage (it actually does go to the orphanage, too) and if you put it on your car it’s almost a get out of jail free card. That’s the best $5 you can spend here in town.

Paul, this is such an excellent video. Thank you so much! After living here, almost 3 years, I’ve organically reached many of the same conclusions but every idea you bring up is key for someone like me. I do drive in Mexico City on occasion, so I will download that app. Next year I’ll be doing another road trip across Mexico, and your knowledge added to my experience is indispensable. 🙏🏼 🚓👮👮‍♂️

I'm from mexico but haven't been there in like years so I'm thankful for your videos.

I reminds me of a long time ago, when I was down in Panama. Last section really tells it! Me and a Sarge was driving in Panama City looking for an office. We saw that we passed by the office. We made a U-turn at the traffic light. We drove into the parking lot and were sitting in the car, when we noticed 2 lawmen walking over to us. We greet them and they start saying something. We couldn't understand them, so one of them went to showing us a ticket book. The buddy figured that they were going to give us a ticket. Then HERE'S the english they knew, "20 dollar 20 dollar"! We had to give it to them, under their ticket book. It was a real treat for them! That was probably over half a day's pay for them.

Well Paul as you know we drove down Baja from Ontario Canada and are spending at least 3 months in La Paz. And 6 months in Mexico to see if its a fit for us to live. Ive read cops are bad here in La Paz for the bribes so Ive told my wife we are doing full stops at all Altos even though everyone just drives on through, no U turns and always watching the curb colors for parking. I imagine its a matter of time so im ready for it and hope to hold my ground. I also have a dash cam so i hope i can prove no we didnt roll through the stop or whatever. At best theyll get me for driving to slow lol Cheers to you and Linda!

Thanks Paul… this is the most helpful video I’ve seen on this topic! Keep making these videos… We love them! ❤

happened to me in Baja, lots of traffic & people around, I waved a couple $20's in the air above my head and asked if that was enough, the cop stood back and said "No, senor, I don't want your money", and drove off quickly. Probably 50 people saw the whole thing.

Hi Paul, still learning English with your videos :). I've went through the same situation until stage #4 where they just notify you or ask you to not do it again. I don't live in Mexico anymore, but would like to. Even with these situations... but you're right, something always reminds you that you can't be distracted.

I live in Colombia and it works exactly the same here! lol. I just asked them what information do you need to process the ticket/fine (in fluent Spanish) and then they realized Im not the typical ignorant American tourist and they let me go.

In 1989 I drove from Puerto Vallarta to San Diego in a van with California plates. The Federalies stopped us at three checkpoints and acted like our paperwork wasn't in order. Each time I gave the officer 50 Pesos, and he let us pass. The lines that were pulled over to the side of the road at these checkpoints were 20 to 30 cars deep. It saved a lot of time.

Back around 1970, a friend named Frankie had a Mother who owned a Hotel in TJ. She came to the States to visit her son. When she returned home, the Hotel Handyman had taken over the Hotel. She called the Police who said there was nothing they could do. The Mother returned to the States to stay with her son. She contacted an attorney in TJ to get her Hotel back. She and her son kept funneling money to the Lawyer who did absolutely nothing. I don't know if she ever got her Hotel back. BT, her son had dropped his '57 Chevy at an Upholstery shop in TJ. He went back the following week and the shop claimed they never had the car. Turns out, they had sold it.

Great video. Went thru this just outside Señor. All stages, but only one officer. The officer magically spoke English when going thru the stages, but no English when I told him let’s go to judge now rather than tomorrow. Finally gave him $20 American because my wife did not find the situation as assuming as I did.

Great Video! This is the Kind of content your viewers need! Glad to see you're giving sound advice again. 😎Liked and shared!

Very valuable information Paul. Unfortunately this happens everywhere. I'm sure that you upheld the law when you were a police officer b/c you seem like a standup guy. We need more of you out there.

I have been in MX for 14 years. Part of that time I drove a European mfg car with US plates. Never stopped. As a precaution I keep the nearest US consulate on speed dial. I think a suggestion for the cop to speak to duty officer to clarify the situation could be a deterrent for a bribe. I once had a dispute with a taxi driver over a fare. I slammed the door on exiting. The taxista wanted 500 extrs pesos for no apparent damages. Muni cops were called. Cops agreed with me. I tried reverse mordida to say gracias. The cop wouldn't accept it. I was traveling with a MX friend in an adjacent state. He was caught speeding with a radar gun. The gun looked like it was falling apart. The cop wanted 150 pesos to forget. As you described Paul, threat of documents confiscated. My friend almost decided to accept the confiscation because he could get duplicates in his home state. Computers didn't talk to each other. He paid the 150. The following week, same location, same cop, same dilapidated radar gun. Jose talked his way out of it. Once I was involved in a "she said...he said" situation. Literally, confined for 10 hours. An administrative hearing, lawyer and interpreter provided gratis. US consulate notified. All done, not requested by me, but as part of normal protocol. Final outcome: No fine, no time. It was such a great experience, I never want to do it again, because it may not be the same. But, at no time was there a hint of mordida. This encounter did not hinder applying for a Residente T/P or passport renewal. I did notice my name was misspelled on the detention form.

We retired in Mexico 18 years ago and built a house in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico. In that period, I've been stopped around five times, all by local cops. Getting a ticket is not a big deal. Here's what to do: Get the amount of the fine as soon as possible. This is how most local cops supplement their meager income. Let's say they start high at 1500 pesos (about $82.57). Tell them they will have to write the ticket because you only have 400 pesos ($22.02). They will haggle with you. Dig around for another 100 pesos ($5.50), making a total of 500 pesos ($27.52). They will likely agree, and you can ask them if they could mail in the fine for you. They will smile, take the money, and tell you to have a nice day. You don't have to appear in court, it won't show on your driving record, and it doesn't affect your insurance in Mexico if you have it. In conclusion, getting a ticket in Mexico is not a big deal. However, if you have an accident or someone is hurt, that's another conversation entirely.

Thanks Paul for the advise, but even more for not yielding to the extorcion, the very clear intructions step by step should help people keep calm and know what to spect; I understand it can be cumbersome to go thru all of the hassle of paying the ticket the right way in order to get your license back, but for those that don't wanto to "get in anymore trouble" and decide to pay the bribe, they are not making anybody a favor encouraging corruption by participation!

I remember when I was in Mexico visiting family, my grandpa told me "always keep a pack of beer on you in your car" I said why? He said "that way when a cop pulls you over, you can just offer them the pack of beer and they probably will let you go" I was like noo you can't do that Grandpa, he was like just watch one day. Fast-forward to another trip to Mexico, we get pulled over as a family by cops, few minutes later my grandpa hands them a pack of beer and then we were on our way. 🤣 This was one of the "GOOD" situations with Mexico cops. Some other situation the police threatened to take everyone to jail for not signalling properly on a lane change, but then said "how much money do you have? You can just pay your ticket now and I don't have to impound your car and take everyone to jail." Everyone scrambled to find cash, came up with about $70, and they said that's not enough and pressed for more. Eventually after watching everyone scramble through purses for money, and watching my aunt crying in fear, the cop felt frustrated, took the $70 and told everyone to get out of here before he arrest everyone. Then one time they pulled me over randomly with my wife and baby, searched my whole car, and kept asking me "where's the marijuana?" Over and over. They went through my bags, under my car, under all the mats, everywhere. Eventually they gave up after about 10 minutes and then let us go. There was no marijuana, they just wanted some for themselves and though I might have some by profiling. 🤣 God I have so many stories of Mexican Police!

Always trustworthy reliable information Paul. Thankfully we have not been bothered once in our 2+ years driving here. 🤞🏼 Cheers from 2 Canadians 🇨🇦 living in Mexico.🇲🇽✌🏼

I paid a bribe in Merida. But not because they told me They would take my rental Car License Plate and License. I talked to his friend on the phone after going through a red light because it changed so quickly. I was told I could avoid any issues by just paying the police 700 pesos instead of being without my car for 4 days and paying 1500 pesos. I chose to pay the 700 but only had 2 500 peso bills and after giving him 1000. I asked for 300 back in very broken Spanish and he gave me back 500 and told me to just go. It was like $35. And I did go through the red light following car in front of me. I was nervous and did not know how or what would happen. But I may do things differently in future thanks to this New Information You Provided. Thanks😊

I have noticed a difference between Power and Authority. An officer may very well have the Power to hold you up and make your life miserable (or even, short!) But his Authority is usually quite limited. Here in the USA most officers do not want questions about their Authority to go very much higher.

Thanks for taking on this topic, Paul. Too many foreigners think paying mordita is some kind of proof of their bona fides in being able to navigate Mexico. The Facebook groups are full of them. Actually it’s just the opposite. It shows they still have a lot to learn about Mexico. Either that and/or they overhype the non-existent danger of interacting with corrupt police in a firm but calm, polite and non-entitled way.

Towns in the US do this; it's called plea and abeyance. It will likely cost you a multiple of the original ticket, but won't show on your driving record. It is through the court.

I live in Vietnam and a very similar situation happened to me. I didn’t pay bribe money, stood my ground and asked for my ticket, and eventually they just let me go without paying.

My shakedown fee converted to $50CDN, which is much cheaper than the Canadian Shake Down Fee in Canada. I paid the young cop and said to my wife that we had just bought the local cop lunch with his wife. I classified it event as " Taking a Mexican to Luch Day."

Great video. One other tactic is to tell them you have no dineros or only a few…always carry 2 wallets:)

I'm mexican and your suggestions are 100% accurate, I have been stopped in other places far from home, and they treat you to keep the license because you don't live there, usually I say as you, my fault let's do what the law says, they began to look around and go for their ticket book, and usually they will end don't do it again drive safe

We asked for the ticket - and got one- 1900 pesos. Then got the drivers license back when we paid. Officer was nice, told us not to speed ( 10 km/hr to fast) and have a nice day. Just like any other country, you speed - speed and pay the fine

Thanks as always for the very pertinent info and videos! As a single woman driving in Mexico (I speak Spanish, so that's helpful, ).. but I didn't know they could seize license etc.. I haven't been pulled over yet, but yes, I will stand my ground politiely (unless I'm late for Pickleball, then I may have to get through it more quickly.. lol)

I've been driving in Mexico 50 + years. Never once paid a ticket or bribe. Always have Baja 1000 race shirts or hats handy! Saludos!!

I've never heard in my entire life someone say their are good cops in Mexico good to hear

Happened to me as soon as I landed last year 😂 the transit cop wanted me to pay him $800 MXN to let me load my bags into my taxi at the airport. Told him “no thank you, I’ll walk” and walked to the nearest OXXO to get picked up there.

San Miguel is infamous for taking license plates so tourists will pay a parking fine. Be very careful where you park as the parking signage is vague.

Thank you so much for this. You're doing great work.

Good video. I have no compunction to want to go to Mexico and less to deal with corrupt cops looking for bribes. Good to hear how you handled this.

I live in CDMX it’s like taxi drivers 80% are dishonest / corrupt and 20% are honest and lawful. That’s with municipal police. Federales are generally more lawful. At least here in CDMX. Polanco cops are pretty honest though it’s in the other 95% of the city that corruption exists.

I've literally watched this unfold as the passenger in a car where the driver was a Mexican national. It's the same script, and it was just a matter of waiting them out, as they were not willing to write an official citation (probably because the municipality would laugh at it as bullshit).

Interesting that he mentions being stopped on the way to the airport. Cities in North America set up electronic speed enforcement near airports for the same reason. You are focused on getting the rental car back and catching your flight and it's very unlikely that you will fight the ticket. Add a speed reduction zone and presto, it's like found money for the city. Plus, the ticket goes to the rental agency who simply puts it on your credit card. Similar scam but done electronically.

AWESOME video Paul, you're the best kind of retired cop.

We werein Rosarito and got pulled over for “tints”. Cops took our licenses and told us to follow them, they proceeded to take us to an atm in the outskirts of town. They then cuffed us together and said our car was gonna get towed if we didn’t pay $40,000 pesos. They then told each one of us to go into the atm and retrieve as much money as we could, while we retrieved the money, they ransacked our car and took money, clothes, jewelry, tequila bottles, colognes.

I used to worry about this until it was explained to me from a Mexican Uber driver's perspective. He explained that it was common and a good situation to pay police when you get caught for BREAKING THE LAW. (Capitalized because he emphasized that in almost all the situations, a police payoff only happens after you get caught breaking law). For example, in the United States, if you get pulled over for drunk driving, the DUI is permanently on your record, it cost tens of thousands of dollars, court time, legal fees, your license is taken away... He explained that wouldn't it be better to tell the police officer he was right for pulling you over, thank him and pay him some money, and park the car for the night? If you think about it that way, then I wish we could do that in the USA too. The same goes for many "crimes" in the US. A marijuana joint could destroy your life in the United States. You could lose custody of your children. You could find yourself unemployable. Wouldn't it be better to get slapped on the wrist by a police officer, thank the officer for doing their job, and then give them a tip? Sounds like a better option to me.

5:04. Such a good actor! :)

When I was under 21 (early 80's), I went to MX often with my friends or girlfriend (who's Mexican) just a 2-hour drive from home. We heard bad stories about the police, but in a dozen trips to Ensenada area, never had a problem. Only been to Puerto Vallarta after that. Now that I'm fairly fluent in Spanish, I go to Spain, and I've had a Spanish resident ID card (NIE/TIA). Hoping to go back permanently.

Excellent video and thank you for sharing ... I absolutely love Mexico and the best part about it are the people. We are thinking of retiring there in about 5 years. If you are stopped and you show them your warrant card ( Police ID From another country) Would this make things better or worse?

This happened to me in San Felipe a long time ago and I was too stupid to understand that he wanted a bribe. I ended up following him back to his police station. I'm 6ft 300 lbs and I felt like a giant. The biggest cop in the police station was maybe 5'6" and they all reminded my if children with giant handguns on their hips. When he told me the fine in pesos I did the conversion in my head and thought it had to be a mistake. I ran a rusty, gray stop sign that was partially hidden by a plant in a pot (LOL) and they tell me the fine is about $8. After I did the conversion I asked him to repeat the number in pesos and then I said "$8?" He says "yeah" and I start dying laughing. I would have paid $20 for the tour of the police station I got.

I. who am seriously researching MX for relocation. Truly yruly appreciate this video!!! Instant New Sub!!

In Tijuana at one time to pay a traffic ticket you paid by credit card. LOL I have lived in MX for about 15 years. I have been stopped twice - neither time I had to pay. Like you said, I called their bluff PLUS they were bogus charges. I too am a retired cop and I refuse to pay BRIBES since I used to teach police ethics. Nice channel.

I have to say, for the last 20 some years of travelling to the Yucatan, the vast majority of police encounters I have had have been positive. For the most part they genuinely want to help. A few of those times I’ve been pulled over have been for committing an infraction I knew to be wrong and have been given strong lectures a time or two but nothing more. A few times for a shake down but I stand them down and have never paid a bribe. But what I do now is I carry an official denuncia (complaint) form with my registration papers and have the large print DENUNCIA so it can be obviously seen by the officer as I’m handing over my papers to him. These complaint forms are for reporting wrongdoings by a public official and they are investigated. This way it lets him know that I’m not some ‘dumb’ tourist who will be easy to extort and I’m familiar with their system. You can generally find these forms at any public government office such as the immigration office. So far it’s worked, but as I said, very few times have I been shaken down for a bribe.

Here's the way I handle it: I've been stopped for speeding twice here in Northern Baja, and here's what to expect. The police will come up to your window and ask if you know why you were stopped. It could be for anything, so I just give a little shake of my head. They may take a short walk around your car, and then tell you were going too fast, or went through a red light, or whatever. Eventually they will tell you that you're going to have to follow them back to the police station, see a judge and pay a fine, which will take up the rest of your day and probably into the night. I nod my head as if in agreement - and here comes the moment of truth: I say, OK, OK - BUT: could I give you the money now and later, when you get back to the police station, could you pay the fine for me? That's the golden ticket. You're offering a bribe but not making it seem like a bribe. Of course, they're not going to pay the fine for you, but they'll gladly take your money. Ask how much the fine is. Both times for me, it was thirty- nine dollars. Give them forty and don't ask for change. At that point there will probably be smiles and handshakes all around, and you'll be back in the wind with no paperwork, no ticket on your record, and loving the way such things go down in Mexico. Paul may not agree with this technique, but then he used to be a cop. Sorry Paul, but it works for me.

Thanks for not talking about the food, Paul (lol). Very practical video as always!

Excellent advices, thank you. I love Mexico, as in the physical location. The people, however, scare the hell out of me. I don't know how the locals endure this way of living in relative danger to your safety and your rights, day after day.

Thanks for another great video Paul. Not sure if this was asked - do you think a dashcam would be helpful in avoiding this situation or just create a more dangerous situation?

Great video and important advice. Gracias! You said the cop looked around to see if he was being recorded. Do you think it would help to have a dash cam that records inside and outside the car? What about recording with a cell phone? (I'd rather have a dash cam.)

Thank goodness I watched this before going to Mexico. We rented a car to drive from Cancun to Tulum, then Chichen Itza and back to Cancun. In Tulum, we were on a main road, 307 headed west after our visit to the Ruinas Tulum (by the way, the WHOLE AREA is under construction, and the parking is miserable), to find something to eat. We noticed that the traffic was backed up, and it was due to a police checkpoint/chokepoint hat was slowing traffic enough to get a good look into each car. It was manned by three cars, and about 6 to 8 masked men with imposing weaponry. They spotted me, and had me pull over to the left, as they waved the locals who weren't white through. The officer asked to see my lisence, and then he asked to see my car rental agreement papers, which we had left in our hotel, unfortunately. He then asked me to get out of the car, he popped the trunk, and then more officers started rooting around everything in the car. they asked my wife and I if we had any drugs (NO). We had just bought some beers and water and had them in our cooler to bring back with us. they asked if I had been drinking (NO). He then said it's a violation to not have rental papers with us in the car, and that it would result in a $4000 dollar fine, and confiscation of my DL, and car. I noticed that his patch said "MUNICIPAL POLICIA", and not "TRANSITO" so I knew this was exactly what you described. I had also left the printout at the hotel. So he shows me his phone with his speil translated to English, and wants to "handle it right here" by paying the fine, or having the car impounded with my license. I told him I'd be happy to wait for the TRANSITO POLICIA, and pointed out to him that I noticed that he and his other gun-toting-balaclava-wearing officers were NOT TRANSITO. I then asked him to write me a ticket, knowing that he couldn't lawfully do it, since I really hadn't broken any actual laws. He then called another officer over, who then said it could take all day, to which I said, "That's fine, I'll wait." I was already an absolute sweaty mess from touring the Tulum site, so standing in the sun with my hat and tshirt was fine, as it would allow me to dry off a bit. After about five more minutes, the second officer handed me back my DL and said "No repeat, no repeat." I thanked him, got in my car, and drove off. My wife forgot to film the incident like I asked her to. It was a tense 15 minutes, but I felt confident it would end well if I stood my ground. Thank you for making this warning video. It saved me some stress for sure. We then went to our diner place, Sabor de Mar, which was amazing. Towers of seafood. We then went on to drive to Chichen Itza and back to Cancun without incident.

I pay Policia Municipal MX$200, Estatal MX$300, and Federal MX$500. Pesos, not dollars. It is SO cheap and so fast. I have been doing this for three decades riding my motorcycle in Mexico. When I am stopped, I immediately apologize and ask if I can donate to resolve the issue. It ALWAYS works. I have been stopped for 160 in a posted 90 and resolved the issue for under $30 US in less than 5 minutes. I love Mexico. My advice: Have cash! Have a pocket with a $500 and a small number of smaller notes. Don't pull out a wad of $500 notes that would choke a horse Offer the donation with discretion On rare occasion when a cop asks for more, I plead poverty In three decades, this has never failed,

Awesome video, Paul. Now if only the U.S. would take police corruption seriously.

Got pulled over twice in the same day, once for “speeding” and the other for tinted windows. The first encounter, I resolved the “ticket” on the side of the road for a negotiated price of $20. The second encounter, a municipal TJ cop, was very nice. My friend let them know that it was my second time today getting pulled over. He asked if true and I said yes. He wanted to know where and I told him highway 201. He nodded and sent me on my way. If I’m driving in MX, I do not drink. It could have escalated quickly if they smelled alcohol on my breath. Your information was very helpful for future encounters which will happen.

I read many of these stories before moving to Mexico. It read like a script each time. It was good to know and took a lot of pressure off when it happened the first time. By the third time, it is almost was humorous to read through the script. My Spanish isn't the best, so negotiation is more difficult. I keep a $10 bill or $200 peso in my wallet as the only money on me. They will ask for as much as $2000 peso. Amazingly, I've seen people interpret this as dollars and negotiate in dollars. I know to do what you have stated but I still prefer to pay the $10. Yes, it creates an environment of perpetuating the issue. For me, living in a smaller city, I don't mind that the police collect a little "tax". It has only happened to me three times in six years. Once was TJ, which is not my town and I was slightly more panicked and honestly even happier to pay to get out of there. I had a $20 bill in my pocket when they searched me and so that is what they got. They also took a 2" pocket knife. It was legal but they told me 'no'. Otherwise, the $200 peso bill does the trick. Be sure and fold it for them. They don't want you to just hand money out the window. Fold it and keep it inside the car and they'll give you your license back and take the bill through the window.

This literally happened to my father. Now we carry a novelty ID of course for “novelty” purposes only😊