Gilberto ‘N’, the mayor of Puerto Aventuras—a locality within the municipality of Playa del Carmen—has been arrested alongside two other individuals for their alleged involvement in an extortion ring targeting local merchants. They reportedly demanded payments from these business owners, threatening to seize their merchandise and subject them to physical assault if they did not comply.
The State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) reported that arrest warrants were also executed against Karla Paola ‘N’—an official in the local government’s Department of Economic Development—and an individual identified as Jorge ‘N’, on charges of aggravated extortion. According to the investigation, the events began in January of this year, when municipal staff visited an establishment in the Puerto Maya neighborhood, demanding that the owner bring their business operations into compliance with regulations.
Subsequently, Karla Paola ‘N’ allegedly requested payment for a procedure that was, in fact, free of charge, warning the owner that failure to pay would result in the seizure of their merchandise and the forced closure of their business. The situation escalated on February 6, when Jorge ‘N’—accompanied by others on motorized rickshaws—allegedly threatened to abduct and beat the merchant if the financial demands were not met.
Although the victim made an initial payment, the suspects began demanding additional weekly sums starting in May, threatening to expel the merchant from the area and physically assault them. According to the complaint, those involved claimed to be acting under the orders of the mayor of Puerto Aventuras.
Following the compilation of the investigative file, the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Kidnapping and Extortion obtained arrest warrants from a control judge for the three individuals implicated. The detainees will be brought before the judicial authority to determine their legal status, while investigations continue to clarify the alleged involvement of municipal government officials in these events.
