Written By Ramon Torres Berrelleza
“The cost of not paying a bribe in Tijuana”
I’ve gotten a lot of good info on this forum so I hope the following post will help someone. This is more about sharing info than a gripe. Long post warning.
Long story short I inadvertently stopped on/in a rarely used dedicated bus lane while trying to maneuver out of backed up traffic on a major Blvd. Seems like no big deal. No harm no foul situation.
Cop says it’s a $6,000 peso fine plus fees and my truck gets impounded. “Tow truck is on its way”, he says repeatedly. It’s a shakedown.
I’ve always known that vehicles can’t be impounded for minor moving violations so I call his bluff. I would rather pay any fine than a bribe so I ask the officer several times to escort me to the police station to pay the fine but he refuses.
Cop offers to “help me out” and asks for $5,000 pesos cash and to pay him the fine. He even suggests I go to the ATM at the Calimax market next to us to get the cash.
I refuse to pay the bribe. He’s pissed! Really pissed! The tow truck arrives and they impounded my truck and tow it away. I’m in shock. I find out later there is nothing I can do till Monday. I’m now stuck in TJ! I visit two separate police stations that afternoon and find out what I need to do come Monday to recover my truck.
Turns out the cop wasn’t bluffing about the required impound of my truck for what seems to be a minor moving violation. In 2018 Tijuana changed its traffic code and modified certain “artículos” to require the automatic impound of your vehicle in certain cases.
Seems that having tinted windows may also be one of them. The traffic cops certainly take advantage of these new traffic codes and use it in their favor to target drivers. Turns out not many people in TJ know about these changes either. Could the cop have allowed me to pay the fine and generated income for the city and let me go on my way? Absolutely. But he abused his authority and wanted to make money for himself instead.
Three police station judges I spoke with could not believe the cop didn’t allow me to pay the fine. They encouraged me to file a complaint against the officer which I did, easy process.
So what was it going to take to get my truck back Monday morning?
Original ID or drivers license.
Original registration card.
Original insurance card.
Original title of vehicle if paid off.
If vehicle not paid off, need proof of last three finance/bank payments showing in good standing.
If vehicle is 2010 model year or later procedure can only be completed at TJ city hall.
Only registered owner or legal representative can process release of vehicle at city hall.
Only registered owner can pickup vehicle from impound yard.
Names on all ownership docs and ID must match.
Payment amount of this fine $5,800 pesos or $290USD…really! Lots of high fines now in TJ.
Tow and impound fee $1,500 pesos $75USD.
You’ll need 4 copies of each document before showing up at city hall.
All police stations and city hall cashiers accept credit/debit cards.
Monday morning 9am I arrive at city hall and I was number 44 in line. The first 14 people had been there on Saturday and were not processed.
It’s closed on Sunday. To my surprise an older gentleman comes up to me and offers expedited service. I’m curious.
He walks me strait to the office, we talk to “the guy”, he checks the docs, I pay the fine and fees, he gives me a service number, and he points to the line.
I have to wait. Turns out Mexico checks with US authorities, per joint agreement, to confirm legal ownership of detained US registered vehicles before they are released. Kinda cool really. This explains the need for all the original docs. There’s a convenient copy/internet place across the street from city hall.
Three hours later they call my name again and hand me two packets of docs with lots of official seals and stamps. Cost for expedited service at city hall…$1,000 pesos, $50USD, cash. I’ve paid $80USD for expedited passport service in the US and that takes a week. With the city hall and police station release docs in hand I walked to the impound yard 5 blocks away to recover my truck. Nothing was missing and the yard guy was relieved my truck is leaving.
I didn’t feed the machine by paying off the cop. I paid the fine and then some. I was inconvenienced by the process and the bureaucracy. Yes, it was very painful. In all including fees, fines, hotel, meals and tequila I was out of pocket about $800USD and 2 days time. Yes, I needed lots of tequila therapy.
I travel through Mexicali and Tecate as often as I do TJ and have NEVER seen this type of aggression and targeting by the municipales. Tijuana is some kind of special. I grew up in the area, speak Spanish fluently, know what’s up, yet this cop was on a mission and I could not talk my way out of it.
I was not aware of the process one has to navigate to release an impounded vehicle and neither are many people that I know that live in TJ. I was fortunate I had all the proper docs with me.
You’re either the type that pays the fine or feeds the machine.
This was my experience. I’m not looking for input, feedback or suggestions. I just hope this info helps you. Safe travels in Baja.