The May grey has engulfed southern California and soon we’ll be heading into the June gloom. All your friends are sick of the clouds so you decide to take a respite and a little road trip down to the sunny beaches of Mexico. But before you pack up your Reefs and get ready for a weekend of tanning and debauchery, make sure you know the local laws and how to stay out of trouble. Read on to learn about how to stay safe during the lazy days and crazy nights when you choose to visit our neighbors to the south.  It is also important to stay at trusted hotels in Mexico. Well known hotels and resorts will keep you safe, and warn you of problematic areas.

The biggest issue reported by U.S. travelers is difficulty with the Mexican police. There are several types of police-

* The Preventive Police
* The Transit Police
* The Federal Highway Police
* The Judicial Police

The first three all wear uniforms, but the last does not. U.S. travelers have frequently complained of harassment, mistreatment, and extortion by Mexican police. Hopefully, you will not come into contact with any type of police officer, but if a Mexican official approaches you for some reason, try to cooperate as best as you can. If the official demands that you pay (bribe) him or her, or if you feel you are being treated unfairly, demand that you are taken to the “delegacion” (police station). You are far more likely to receive proper legal treatment from the police station than some random officer on the street.

Activities to Avoid

* Don’t use the ATM. If you must, use it in the daytime.
* Be very careful when traveling by cab- you should only enter one that has been ordered by phone or by a reliable individual; taxi robbery is a common crime in Mexico, especially Mexico City.
* Be wary of bus transportation- only use buses in the daytime, and make sure to use first-class conveyances, they have a lower rate of crime than second and third-rate.
* Despite the behavior of American teenagers, public drunkenness is a crime in Mexico. Many border towns have become irritated by the rowdiness of we Spring Breakers who cross the border for some good-hearted fun in the sun. Make sure that you’re not being too obnoxious while intoxicated… it could land you behind bars.
* And, most importantly, avoid drug offenses! Mexico prosecutes a very high percentage of drug cases. Possession of and trafficking in illegal drugs are federal offenses. Carrying an illegal drug in an amount larger than what an individual could consume on his or her own is considered trafficking. The minimum sentence for possessing drugs in such an amount is 10 months in prison, and there is no bail. Additionally, Mexican law deals with all narcotics in the same manner (i.e. marijuana, heroin, amphetamines, etc. are treated the same). Bottom line, smoking a joint on the sidewalk is really not worth the risk; do so at your own peril.