A 36-year-old Cuban citizen was detained by security guards at the store Zara in Plaza La Isla, one of the busiest shopping centers in the Hotel Zone of Cancun, after being spotted trying to leave the establishment with two pieces of clothing hidden under his t-shirt, as reported by Periódico Quequi.
The incident occurred on Friday at kilometer 12 of Kukulcán Boulevard, when law enforcement was called in response to a report of an alleged theft at the establishment. Upon arrival, security personnel pointed out the man, identified as Erwin'l B. G., a rideshare driver, who supposedly attempted to take a white garment and a brown one with a combined value of approximately 1,100 Mexican pesos.
According to the version published on social media by the same outlet, the police allegedly offered the individual the option to pay for the items on the spot, and after doing so, he was able to leave without being formally arrested.
"The fact generated surprise among those who witnessed the situation," the publication noted.
The store, for its part, decided not to file a criminal complaint with the authorities. "Representatives of the establishment stated that it was not their desire to take legal action against the person accused of the alleged theft of the items," the news report specified.
In the absence of a formal complaint, the agents took the man to the Civic Qualifying Judge for an alleged administrative offense of disobedience and resistance, a municipal authority that adjudicates minor infractions without the intervention of the criminal prosecution. As there was no formal accusation from the store, the case was not referred to the Attorney General's Office of the State of Quintana Roo.
The incident adds to a series of events involving Cuban citizens in Cancun over the past few months.
In mid-August, another Cuban was detained in the hotel zone being investigated for drug dealing and multiple thefts from commercial establishments, and days later a third case involved a Cuban arrested with over 100 doses of alleged drugs and counterfeit bills.
In May of this year, the Cuban community residing in Cancún publicly denounced a climate of xenophobia and requested the intervention of the Cuban consulate.
Community leaders then distinguished between migrants who arrive to work and those deported from the United States with criminal records, highlighting the latter as the main source of conflicts.
The Cuban presence in Cancun and Quintana Roo has steadily increased in recent years, with many migrants working in the informal economy or in low-entry-barrier jobs, such as driving vehicles for digital platforms, a situation in which the individual mentioned in this case found himself.
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