[MJM]

My mom's vacation group rented a car and had a cop pull them over. He said he was just making sure they were fine/not lost etc. 5 minutes later another cop pulls over their rental car, and guess what he found. Some apparent drugs the first cop had planted in the car. Told everyone in the car to give him what they had on them, and the problem would all go away.

I think it happens more than some people like to admit. The Riviera Maya is generally safe, and I would recommend it to anyone, but I would not recommend renting a car or taking public transportation. The Mexicans will not touch/harass a tour because they know the government would come down on them hard, but once you flee from the tourist scene, you become a lot more fair game to them.

I know last time I was in Playa Del Carmen, I asked the cab driver why the cops drive around with their lights on all the time but none of the locals/cabs stop. I asked him if it was to stop the tourists stupid enough to pull over. He wouldn't admit it, but he sure didn't deny it either.