Playa del Carmen, Q.R. — The municipal government of Playa del Carmen says homicide rates are down more than 80 percent. Mayor Estefanía Mercado says her government has achieved a historic 82.4% reduction in intentional homicides, consolidating Playa del Carmen as the safest municipality in Quintana Roo.
This result – the most significant decrease in a decade – reflects the comprehensive security and citizen proximity strategy. This strategy was implemented by the municipal government in coordination with the State and the Federation and led by the Secretary of Citizen Security, Carlos Montesinos.
“These results are not a coincidence. They are the fruit of teamwork, citizen trust and a daily commitment to restoring peace to our neighborhoods. Security is not just felt, it is built with technology, planning and a visible presence in the community,” stated Mayor Mercado.
In addition to the decrease in homicides, the figures reflect a general downward trend in several crimes:
- Residential burglaries: decreased by 10.3%, from 310 to 281 cases.
- Human trafficking: decreased by 18.2%, thanks to strengthened detection and prevention efforts.
- More than 297 kilograms of drugs seized, including marijuana, crystal meth, cocaine, LSD, and resins.
- More than 20,000 patrol actions and coordinated operations in just three months.
One of the central pillars of this strategy is the entrance arch to the municipality. The new high-tech infrastructure allows vehicle control and monitoring through license plate recognition and direct connection with the C4 and C5 systems.
This new system, she says, has strengthened the capacity for immediate response to emergencies.
“The Arco Norte represents the new stage of security in Playa del Carmen, technology, coordination and joint work between the three levels of government,” Secretary Montesinos said.
