PLAYA DEL CARMEN, June 13, 2009 -- The heart of the Playa del Carmen tourist zone, Fifth Avenue (Quinta Avenida), was the scene of a major drug bust on Saturday as 40 soldiers from the Mexican Army swarmed a souvenir market and arrested five drug traffickers. The heavily armed military gunmen wore black hoods to disguise their identity and were supported by more than a dozen local police, who blocked pedestrians from the area where the raid took place. Even with the large police presence, though, tourists were just yards from the scene as the soldiers made their way to the back of the market to apprehend the criminals.
The event occurred near the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Second Street, close to the main bus station and the dock for the ferry to Cozumel. The authorities seized three bags of illegal drugs and arrested five men, who were using their handicrafts stall in the market as a front for their drug-selling ring.
No shots were fired in the incident and authorities credited the police and soldiers for using overwhelming force and the element of surprise to their advantage.
The men were known to be dealing drugs, but many other sellers in the market were afraid to turn them in or say anything, for fear of retaliation. The market was reopened after the incident and after 15 minutes, the scene on the street returned to normal.
It is a reminder, though, that tourists should avoid any illegal drug use while visiting the Riviera Maya. The old adage is true that if you go looking for trouble, you're probably going to find it. It's important to note, however, that the federal and local authorities are very conscious of the effects that drugs and illegal activity could have on the tourist trade, so they aggressively pursue arrests and work to keep the resort town safe for visitors. Even during this raid, the hundreds of tourists on the beach two blocks away were oblivious to the episode and were not affected by it.
Playa del Carmen is still a very safe place to visit and enjoy a great vacation, as long as travelers remain aware of their surroundings and don't take any more risks than they would back home.
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