The Police in Sonoita are out of control!

audsley

Well Known Member
Those of us who've taken Highway 2 through Caborca to get on 15 at Santa Anna have had no problems with corruption at the toll booth. If the extent of this problem begins to discourage tourism I could see the city of Penasco recognizing it would benefit from financial support of building an alternate route with a toll. But as long as we put up with it we'll keep getting tickets.
 

Maduro steve

Well Known Member
Just got back from RP after a week , got stopped in sonoita at a stop sign ,while stopped a cop walks up to the passenger side and told us we missed a stop sign, I pointed to my dash cam ,he waved us on . Whether was goofy with plenty of wind . Back in April .
 

Jungle Jim

Well Known Member
Just a bit of current P Penasco Gringo rip-off in full bullshit mode.

Had two gasoline gouging attempts last weekend.

The Pemex at the circle on Freemont to Los Conchas: Stopped to top off my tank in my Jeep TJ for a trip out to the first estuary and do some Bucktail Spoon tossing at the super high tide, maybe get a Stingray or Sand Dab. Might have needed 1/4 tank to do it. Decided to play the dumbshit game and act as stupid as possible while supposedly not keeping an eye on the pump. Was talking to a friend filling up another vehicle. The pump already had a previous total on it and the Pemex guy stuck the nozzle in and just pumped away. I stopped the pump while he was screwing someone else. He came back and I and asked the pumper why he didn't zero it out. Said he did and I told him the Jeep tank didn't even hold that much gas. I put the filler cap back on and drove away.

The Pemex at the windmills: Stopped to top off for the trip home in my Ford Raptor. Maybe needed 1/2 tank to do it. Decided to play the dumbshit game again and act as stupid as possible while supposedly not keeping an eye on the pump. Was talking to my wife as she headed over to the store for some hwy home snacks. The pump already had a previous total on it and the girl stuck the nozzle in and just pumped away. I stopped the pump while she was screwing someone else. She came back and I asked why she didn't zero it out. She was SOOOOO sorry and restarted it from zero. I gave her my credit card when full and she gave me TWO receipts to sign! One for the rip-off and one for the correct amount. I would't sign the first bogus one but did the second one and drove away. Called the credit card company on the way home and stopped payment on the first charge.

Watch out my friends..........those people just want to fuck you any way they can.

The NEW Camaron Gigante restaurant on Fremont in Mirador: First time there. Ordered their "especial gigantic breaded shrimp plate" It consisted of a dozen breaded shrimp maybe an inch in diameter with a pile of crinkle cut papas fritas. Both from Sam's Club. Didn't see a single dish on the menu with fresh local product.

Cook for yourself. You won't get the shits and save mucho moneda.

JJ
 

Mexico Joe

Cholla Bay 4 Life
Just a bit of current P Penasco Gringo rip-off in full bullshit mode.

Had two gasoline gouging attempts last weekend.

The Pemex at the circle on Freemont to Los Conchas: Stopped to top off my tank in my Jeep TJ for a trip out to the first estuary and do some Bucktail Spoon tossing at the super high tide, maybe get a Stingray or Sand Dab. Might have needed 1/4 tank to do it. Decided to play the dumbshit game and act as stupid as possible while supposedly not keeping an eye on the pump. Was talking to a friend filling up another vehicle. The pump already had a previous total on it and the Pemex guy stuck the nozzle in and just pumped away. I stopped the pump while he was screwing someone else. He came back and I and asked the pumper why he didn't zero it out. Said he did and I told him the Jeep tank didn't even hold that much gas. I put the filler cap back on and drove away.

The Pemex at the windmills: Stopped to top off for the trip home in my Ford Raptor. Maybe needed 1/2 tank to do it. Decided to play the dumbshit game again and act as stupid as possible while supposedly not keeping an eye on the pump. Was talking to my wife as she headed over to the store for some hwy home snacks. The pump already had a previous total on it and the girl stuck the nozzle in and just pumped away. I stopped the pump while she was screwing someone else. She came back and I asked why she didn't zero it out. She was SOOOOO sorry and restarted it from zero. I gave her my credit card when full and she gave me TWO receipts to sign! One for the rip-off and one for the correct amount. I would't sign the first bogus one but did the second one and drove away. Called the credit card company on the way home and stopped payment on the first charge.

Watch out my friends..........those people just want to fuck you any way they can.

The NEW Camaron Gigante restaurant on Fremont in Mirador: First time there. Ordered their "especial gigantic breaded shrimp plate" It consisted of a dozen breaded shrimp maybe an inch in diameter with a pile of crinkle cut papas fritas. Both from Sam's Club. Didn't see a single dish on the menu with fresh local product.

Cook for yourself. You won't get the shits and save mucho moneda.

JJ

Were we all there this week?! Damn! I'm depressed that I wasn't able to meet Steve M this week...

I have an incredible story about our drive home Wednesday morning. Almost killed a couple of Mexican armed forces soldiers at some poorly designated "checkpoint" at approx. KM 30 traveling N before Sonoyta at about 620am...
 

JayT

Active Member
Drove south to Rocky Point through Sonoyta yesterday along with friends in two other vehicles at different times. No issues for any of us. Saw a few cops at the usual spots along the long stretch and a few driving around in town but nothing out of the ordinary. We did the 23 mph crawl and "count to three" stops at the stop signs and had no problems. The weather is beautiful in Rocky Point right now BTW.
 

Maduro steve

Well Known Member
Were we all there this week?! Damn! I'm depressed that I wasn't able to meet Steve M this week...

I have an incredible story about our drive home Wednesday morning. Almost killed a couple of Mexican armed forces soldiers at some poorly designated "checkpoint" at approx. KM 30 traveling N before Sonoyta at about 620am...
Glad to see I live in MJ head .
 

VegasDude

Active Member
Been in Rocky Point for a month now. Camo guys southbound at the border have confiscated two small knifes from two of our friends. They were not over 4 inches. Camo guys just wanted them. 4 of our fellow rver's have been stopped and "fined". Yesterday our friends became victim. This last one was for "speeding" northbound heading toward the Red Cross stop. I was not there, so I don't know what their speed was. $180 gone. Reports of another rv near the Red Cross stop, same thing. There are more.
All of these folks are rver's and are retired and as a habit do not speed and obey traffic laws. We are not in a hurry to get anywhere and not their first time to Rocky point.

My point is, yes, they could have been over the speed limit, but none of these folks made it to the court house. They all paid their "fine" to the cop. At least one says that they could not pay a fine until the next day if they wanted to go to the station. I believe that's part of the scam.

So I agree. Were gonna do what we've been doing for 16 years here. 10k under the speed limit. 3 count at the stop signs. (my buddy says stop and say the lords prayer, then go)

Got the truck camera on the windshield going and now were also gonna have the wife filming on her iPhone the whole time.
 

playavader

Junior Member
Well, it finally happened to us! Been traveling to RP for years! Had heard about the stop sign/speeding racket and got to experience it 1st hand yesterday! What a bummer! We had just donated to the Bombaderos, too. Asked for a drivers license and THEN explained we would have to go to the police station to get it back. A little different system than the US. Completely infuriating! They went into a whole explanation on how to use our speedometer in Mexico. "The red numbers are kph and the white numbers are mph." We were CREEPING along, completely stopping at every stop sign and they were coming up a side street, pulled out, passed the local behind us and turned on the lights. Unfortunately, we paid them on the spot. Yes we have been told not to do this but we've also heard it makes no difference to "go to the station. " Definitely left a bad taste after a terrific vacation. After we were let go, I thought "What would have happened if we hadn't pulled over? Would they have followed us all the way to the border? Has anyone ever just kept going? And what if you gave them your license and never went to pick it up?
Do they ever stop the shuttle drivers?" Lots of questions. A bypass with a toll sounds good to me, unfortunately the corruption would likely infect that as well. BF is headed back down next month. Hopefully his dues are paid up for now
I always bring older copies of my Arizona DL's when i go down there. On time in Santa Ana outside of Magdalena i slipped an old DL to a corrupt cop who said I did a U turn but in reality I was parking my car. After my business was done in town I drove off and left. The corrupt cop walked away with an old license and now mordida.
 

IggyAZ

Well Known Member
I have been driving thru Sonoyta for over 12 years and always slow down there and even know the stop sign locations even if they aren't.
Never been stopped and never had to pay anything.
Like Queen of Kings said " Slow Down" in town.
I get more of hassle from the Feds after crossing the border than anyone else who love to look thru your RV.
Had a friend get stopped by FED and they found $10 walkie Talkies and said they were illegal in MX. LOL
She told them fine keep the junkie walkie talkies. She didn't want them. The guy gave them back to her and sent them on their way.
 

JPM

New Member
Seven Mexico & especially Sonoita traffic mafia cop experienced friends pulled over for “speeeding” in Sonoita during the last weekend. Two went to the extremely sham courthouse and still were find $180 for not speeding. Something needs to be done. This is hurting Mexico.
Seven Mexico & especially Sonoita traffic mafia cop experienced friends pulled over for “speeeding” in Sonoita during the last weekend. Two went to the extremely sham courthouse and still were find $180 for not speeding. Something needs to be done. This is hurting Mexico.
 

JPM

New Member
Beware. Have no doubt that there is at least one corrupt police officer in Sonoyta. I was robbed on broad daylight today by a police officer today, or at least a man dressed as one. I was stopped with my family on our way to Rocky Point for “not stopping at a stop sign” today in the downtown area. I did stop COMPLETELY. He said the fine was $2000 pesos, but he would accept $1000. I paid him and we went on our way, but with a very bad taste in our mouth for all of the family. Oh yes—he didn’t give me my license back either. We realized this immediately, but were glad to just get out of there ASAP and away from a corrupt cop.
 

dirtsurfer

Well Known Member
Forum Supporter
This problem is worse than what is being exposed here. Last weekend our wives on a girl trip caravanned through Sonoyta at 15MPH with very strobg admonitions from me about stopping at stop signs and going extra slow. Three of the women were pulled over for “speeeeding”, two were pulled over for not stopping at a stop sign while they were completely stopped. The police are corrupt, bad, guilty and must be constantly filmed while you travel through Sonoyta. My friends are trying hard not to become violent but this is coming. Who the hell is the Mayor of Sonoyta? Who is the Chief of Police?
 

dirtsurfer

Well Known Member
Forum Supporter
I have been driving thru Sonoyta for over 12 years and always slow down there and even know the stop sign locations even if they aren't.
Never been stopped and never had to pay anything.
Like Queen of Kings said " Slow Down" in town.
I get more of hassle from the Feds after crossing the border than anyone else who love to look thru your RV.
Had a friend get stopped by FED and they found $10 walkie Talkies and said they were illegal in MX. LOL
She told them fine keep the junkie walkie talkies. She didn't want them. The guy gave them back to her and sent them on their way.
Also had FEDS steal money from my aunt’s purse and steal an expensive pocket knife.
 

JayT

Active Member
We drove north through Sonoyta on Friday morning at 8 am and only saw one cop (two guys in a parked sedan) halfway up the long stretch before the Buen Viaje sign. I didn't see any cops parked by the donation collection stop or at the usual Circle K and Pemex locations where I usually see them. It may have been too early for them to be out in numbers. One of our friends traveling down to RP last weekend saw a pedestrian Sonoyta municipal police officer standing discretely near the stop sign in central Sonoyta, just past Vasquez, watching for rolling stops.
 

PuroPelicano

Junior Member
At the end of last month we met the "pedestrian cop" at the stop sign. He told us to respect the laws and stop. But we were already stopped and my husband is Mexican, he saw we weren't worth the trouble.
 
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