Cancun, Q.R. — A man police say identified himself as the neighborhood defender to “clean up thugs” has been charged with extortion. Óscar José “N” is accused of extorting a Cancun businessman of 15,000 a month since last year.
According to the police report, in August of 2025, Óscar José “N” arrived at the business with three armed men. He claimed to be the neighborhood defender, demanding 15,000 a month to allow the man to continue operating his business.
Police said the following day, someone shot at the inside of the business before fleeing the area. The unnamed business owner began making the payments in August but eventually filed a complaint.
Local authorities reported on the arrest of Óscar José “N” in the city of Campeche. He was returned to Quintana Roo and has since been charged.
In a statement, police said “the events for which Óscar José “N” was charged occurred starting on August 4, 2025, when, along with three other individuals, who were carrying firearms, he arrived at a commercial establishment located in the Cielo Nuevo subdivision in SM 249.
“He identified himself to the person in charge as the one who “defended the area,” so in order to continue operating, he would have to pay a fee of 15,000 pesos per month.
“After this, Óscar José “N”, who was arrested in the city of Campeche, warned the victim that they were there to “clean up the area of thugs.” The following day, a man arrived at the establishment and fired a gun several times into the interior.”
The owner of the business paid the extortion amount during 2025 but filed a criminal complaint in 2026.
Police said the Cancun judge who heard the case imposed two years of preventive detention on Óscar José as a precautionary measure.
