Tijuana municipal police arrested three people on Thursday for allegedly extorting street vendors in the Zona Centro, seizing firearms and cash during the operation. The arrests mark the latest in a pattern of organized extortion targeting informal merchants in one of the city’s most commercially active districts.
Extortion of Tijuana Street Vendors Follows Persistent Pattern in Zona Centro
The three suspects were detained near the intersection of Calle 2da and Avenida Constitución, a corridor packed with sidewalk stalls, food carts, and small shops. Officers recovered two handguns, multiple rounds of ammunition, and an undisclosed amount of cash from the suspects.
Extortion of street vendors, known locally as cobro de piso (forced rent payments), has been a chronic problem in Tijuana’s downtown for years. Vendors operating without formal permits are especially vulnerable. They typically lack legal recourse and fear retaliation if they report threats to police.
The practice works like this: armed individuals approach vendors and demand regular payments, often weekly, in exchange for “permission” to operate on a given block. Those who refuse risk having their merchandise destroyed or face physical violence. In some cases, the extortionists claim affiliation with larger criminal organizations, though not all do.
Tijuana’s Zona Centro sees heavy foot traffic from both locals and the roughly 50,000 people who cross the San Ysidro port of entry daily in each direction. Street commerce in the area ranges from taco stands to electronics vendors to currency exchange booths. The density of informal businesses makes the district a lucrative target for extortion rings.
The Baja California state government reported 1,247 extortion complaints statewide in 2023, though security analysts consistently note that extortion is among the most underreported crimes in Mexico. The national statistics agency INEGI estimated in its 2022 National Victimization Survey that only 1.5% of extortion cases nationwide result in a formal complaint. That gap between reported and actual cases suggests the problem in Tijuana’s commercial zones is far larger than official numbers indicate.
Tijuana’s municipal police force has conducted similar operations in Zona Centro before. In March 2024, officers detained two individuals accused of extorting vendors along Avenida Revolución, the main tourist corridor running parallel to Constitución. In that case, the suspects also carried firearms and were found with lists of vendors and payment amounts.
Three Suspects Turned Over to State Attorney General’s Office
The three detained individuals were transferred to the custody of the FGE, Baja California’s state attorney general’s office, for formal processing. Under Mexican law, suspects must appear before a judge within 48 hours of detention for initial hearings. The FGE will determine whether to file extortion charges, weapons charges, or both.
Extortion carries a sentence of two to eight years in Baja California state court. Aggravating factors, including the use of firearms, can increase that range. Weapons possession charges carry additional penalties of three to seven years under federal law.
Tijuana Mayor Ismael Burgueño has made street vendor safety a talking point since taking office in October 2024. His administration launched a program called “Mercado Seguro” (Safe Market) in January 2025, which placed dedicated police patrols in high-commerce zones including Zona Centro, Zona Río, and the Otay commercial district. The city allocated 40 additional officers to these rotations.
But vendors themselves remain skeptical. In February 2025, a group of roughly 200 street vendors from the Zona Centro staged a protest outside city hall, demanding more consistent police presence and a formal complaint mechanism that would protect their identities. Many said they had been paying cobro de piso for months without reporting it.
The practical effect of these arrests on daily extortion activity remains uncertain. Security experts note that low-level operators are often quickly replaced unless investigations reach the organizers behind them. The FGE has not announced whether Thursday’s arrests are connected to a broader investigation.
If you work or shop in the Zona Centro area, the Tijuana municipal police non-emergency line is 664-104-8400. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to the FGE’s confidential line at 800-7687-484.
The next hearing for the three suspects is expected within the coming week. This story was first reported by Cadena Noticias.