Cancun bars and nightclubs close due to violence and threats

The state of Quintana Roo, especially tourist destinations such as Cancun and Tulum, is experiencing a spike in violence. Cancun bars and nightclubs close due to fear and threats. Check out the latest update.

Cancun bars and nightclubs close due to violence and threats
Cancun at night. Image by arteradar from Pixabay

After the attacks and threats from organized crime, which demands payment of "derecho de piso" (a fee to pay for the floor, right to operate), to bars and nightclubs in Cancun, several businesses have decided to close their doors, some temporarily and others permanently. This weekend and last week banners appeared in the streets, with a list of at least 11 bars and nightclubs which are warned that if they do not pay the fee, they will pay the consequences.

This Monday some of the so-called "black turn" businesses, such as the bar "Teresita II" no longer opened their doors and notified their staff that they will reopen until "further notice". The "Cueva de Choky" was closed and secured last Friday by the State Attorney General's Office after an armed group entered the bar and executed a client. The same happened with the bar "Es Viernes", both on Talleres Avenue, which was secured after an operation by the FGE where drugs were allegedly found.

In the exclusive plaza of Puerto Cancun and Marina Towers, the "Barezzito" was closed, after an armed group of 8 people took a man out of the bar at gunpoint and minutes later he was executed and thrown on Bonampak Avenue. Other bars that have been shot and burned by organized crime remain closed.

In one of the banners hung at the Conalep school in the center of the city, the threat was directly against 11 bars in Cancun, among them "El Ejecutivo", "La Xtabay", "El Rincón de Luisito", "Viernes", "PPC", "Gari", "Sugar Dady", "La Playa", "Bahamas", "La Playa", "Pelaná", "Palapa de Choky" and "La Curva". The threat signed by "El Jefe y Patrón" warns that they must "line up" or suffer the consequences of an armed attack.

The message reads that all those businessmen interested in opening a bar in Cancun should be aware that "the plaza has an owner". From 2019 to date, authorities heeded the call for 324 attacks on businesses in Cancun. The investigations were unsuccessful because the owners refused to file any complaint about fear of their attackers.

A person is shot to death inside his truck on Avenida La Luna in Cancun

A person was shot to death while traveling in a luxury van on La Luna Avenue between Politécnico and Nichupté. Preliminary information indicates that two people on a motorcycle approached the luxury van and fired at least five shots at the driver.

Motorcyclists disguised as food deliverymen shot a man in SM 505 in Cancun.
Motorcyclists disguised as food deliverymen shot a man in SM 505 in Cancun. Image: Twitter

José Miguel 'N', 33 years old, driver of a Ford Explorer, was shot at the intersection of Avenida La Luna and Politécnico, in Supermanzana 505. As in previous cases, one of the assassins was carrying a backpack from the Rappi platform. Although José Miguel noticed that two men on a motorcycle were following him, he tried to speed up to lose them; however, when he reached Politécnico Avenue, he got stuck in traffic, a situation that the assassins took advantage of to execute him.

As a result of the armed attack, the person onboard the van died instantly, while the assailants fled at full speed. Paramedics from a private company arrived at the scene after neighbors reported the incident to 911. The first responders confirmed the death. At the scene, are elements of the Quintana Roo Police, Ministerial Police and are awaiting the arrival of the agents of Forensic Services for the removal of evidence and take the body to the Semefo.

Cancun hitmen adopt a new "Modus operandi": they disguise themselves as food delivery men

Criminals have adopted a new method to commit crimes, now they use the disguise of deliverymen of digital platforms such as Rappi, Uber Eats, Didi, among others, to murder their victims and escape without any inconvenience, "camouflaging" with backpacks and the increase in motorized food distributors that practically operate 24 hours a day throughout Cancun.

This "modus operandi" has begun to be used in Cancun. In the last three months, there have been five high-impact incidents involving hired killers disguised as food distributors, in three of them they have managed to kill their victims, in one they managed to apprehend the alleged murderers and in another, a food distributor was executed.

Hitman disguised as "Rappi" kills notary public

On the morning of Friday, August 6 of this year, the execution of Nahúm "N", the owner of Notary Public Office 36 of Cancún, was reported, by two subjects who were on a motorcycle while he was traveling onboard a vehicle (sand-colored Vento) on Supermanzana 41, on Tikal Avenue at the corner of Chichen Itza Avenue.  According to witnesses, the criminals were disguised as "Rappi" deliverymen.

Days later, the State Attorney General's Office informed that Francisco 'N' and David 'N' had been indicted for the execution of the notary public on Chichen Itza Avenue, and six months was established for the closing of the complementary investigation.

Alleged "Uber Eats" delivery man kills a vendor in a convenience store

The first occurred on October 3, when armed men, one of them wearing an Uber Eats backpack, arrived at Six Nacho, located at Donceles 28, and shot eight times at David 'N', an employee of the beer store, who tried to take refuge in the bodega but was hit by the gunmen.

Sources: Quintana Roo Hoy, Meganews, Sipse, El Sol de Mexico