Chetumal, Q.R. — To date, at least 30 unauthorized security cameras have been dismantled around the city of Chetumal. The Undersecretary of Citizen Security, Fernando Viveros Salazar, confirmed that to date, 30 “parasite” cameras located in trees or on poles have been dismantled. However, he declined to confirm if they were installed by members of a criminal group.
He says although the Secretariat of Citizen Security (SSC) has installed surveillance cameras throughout the city, they have not been able to identify those who have placed the cameras on trees and poles. He says the cameras they have located have been placed mostly on poles belonging to the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) or the Telephone Company of Mexico (Telmex).
“We have strengthened our intelligence efforts to locate these types of devices, which are used to monitor the behavior of citizens and police forces,” he said “but it is a fact that these surveillance devices have nothing to do with the security of homes or people. They are outside the homes and perhaps serving someone else,” he said.
The SSC have detected illegally installed surveillance cameras in several key areas around the state including Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Mahahual, Tulum, Cozumel and now Chetumal.
SSC boss Julio César Gómez Torres says the surveillance cameras are believed installed by members of criminal groups to monitor the work carried out by police forces. Those responsible for the illegal installation have not been identified, despite the installation of surveillance cameras connected to the C4 in Chetumal and the C5 in Cancun.
