Playa del Carmen, Q.R. — A man and woman accused of setting company vehicles on fire in retaliation to non-payment of extortion demands are in custody. Cristian Antonio “N” and Marcos “N” are believed responsible for two vehicle fires set on January 7.
Both were detained from a vehicle while driving along First Avenue North and 15th Street in central Playa del Carmen. At the time of the arrest, officers found an extortion payment of 30,000 in cash.
The company vehicles were set on fire after the company refused to pay an initial extortion demand of 150,000 pesos. That amount was then negotiated to 30,000 pesos a month, an amount that was collected the day of their arrests.
The State Attorney General’s Office said the pair were taken into custody by the Intelligence Sub-Directorate and the Specialized Group for Combating Extortion (GEPCE) of the Municipal Police.
Both were arrested “for their probable participation in acts possibly constituting the crime of extortion, to the detriment of a legal entity.”
January 7, 2026.
Police picked them up following the report of two vehicles, a trailer and a van, which were set on fire in the early morning of January 7, 2026. The State Attorney General said “after field and office investigation work, the capture of Cristian Antonio “N” and Marcos “N”, the latter originally from Argentina, was achieved when they were driving on First Avenue North corner with 15th Street, in the Centro neighborhood of Playa del Carmen.”
According to the police investigation, Cristian Antonio “N” and Marcos “N” went to company to collect 30,000 pesos “the result of previous acts of extortion, consisting of telephone calls and threats directed at the victim,” they reported.
“This extortion ring initially demanded 150,000 pesos, an amount that was not paid, and then established a monthly payment of 30,000 pesos. At the time of the suspects’ arrest, the amount corresponding to the last payment was recovered and seized as part of the corresponding investigation file.”
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