Oficial/Ex-Oficial Checkpoint 1 Click North of Barb Dog Rescue

[Mexico Joe]

Normally I wouldn't be so quick to post but today we had a really weird experience arriving in Penasco. Approximately 1 mile North of Barbs Dog Rescue we had to come to a stop for a checkpoint. The men were wearing uniforms saying something minister federal or federal ministry of something presumably but I couldn't see. The quickly allowed the Mexican plated car ahead of us through however when we stopped the immediately pressed up about where we were coming from and where we were going which was a complete joke considering we're 5 miles out of PP and towing a boat. Clearly tourists. The man then said to pull over. Don't know why, for what, who these men were. No army no uniform I've ever in my life seen in Mexico. We pulled to the side of the road and another man said no over here. Over "there" was behind an outcrop of what I believe are Salt Cedar in front of a house or some brick and mortar establishment. It wasn't so much the checkpoint but how they were speaking to us. With an aggression almost. It was really really weird. I can honestly say I was a little scared considering I was not aware of there being any kind of checkpoint North of town. We both claimed we didn't speak spanish. When we pulled to the second spot behind the trees the guy wanted me to turn the engine off and get out of the vehicle. At this point which happened to be twice in one hour I played the handicap card to not get out of the vehicle for inspection. Finally after a tense 3 mintues of them going through shit they let us go but it was like be gone type of go, not like have a nice day, thank you. They were clearly irritated. Claudia heard one of the guys say to another in Spanish that they could have gotten $150 from me. I don't know. The whole situation was weird.


Trying to figure out if this was an official checkpoint and who the agency might have been.. Any help is appreciated. The uniforms were either dark brown or black shirts with kaki colored pants and bulletproof vests. I thought I read something about criminal on one of the vests but I was looking in the rearview mirror. I really felt like it had to do with organized crime. Like it was an organized crime unit maybe for the interior but after realizing we have nothing to do with organized crime and we're tourists here to vacation you would have thought it would have just been a nod and thank you have a nice day. I don't know how to describe it but it was just the way they were talking to me it was really really weird and north of town in the desert is different than ADUANA asking me for my boat registration or Guardia National.

Really trying to figure out WTF happened today because it really scared me and I go to Mexico A LOT

 

[Mexico Joe]

POLICIA FEDERAL MINISTERIAL or FEDERAL MINISTERIAL - Google and you will see the Black Top with Kaki pants combo.

From what I just read it's possible the agency was dissolved in 2019. Who can confirm that?

I'm here to visit the country RESPECTFULLY inside the HASSLE FREE ZONE not be accosted and have money taken from me from some government agency which may or may not be active which I believe was about to happen until divine intervention or stars colliding or I don't know... Luck?!

F#CK! I was sooooo HOT earlier! It ruined arriving this afternoon. It took me an hour to calm the fuck down. I'm all for the game at the border but unknown stops for unknown reasons by unknown persons is concerning in Mexico. I rather come enjoy Mexico and spend what LITTLE MONEY I do have, the legal way.

 

[Mexico Joe]

EDIT - DELETE THIS ONE

 

[Mexico Joe]

In other news... WIND doesn't appear to be as strong as the forecast suggested. Today the sea was sub white cap so in my opinion very nice lol. I wish we would have gotten here earlier this morning to enjoy it. Hopefully we have a few more shots to get the boat out before we leave.

 

[MissMouse]

Really curious to hear more about this as I have friends traveling down soon with us but in a separate car who are nervous about the drive. I’m trying to assure them it’s going to be fine, but this could throw off the whole trip for them.

 

[Mexico Joe]

Really curious to hear more about this as I have friends traveling down soon with us but in a separate car who are nervous about the drive. I’m trying to assure them it’s going to be fine, but this could throw off the whole trip for them.

I do believe that our experience had to do with the boat. There was at least one American plated, American driven older couple that was riding my boat motor for the first 20 miles out of Sonoyta but I slowed to let them pass before the Sonoyta River and if I had to guess they were going about 78. I was going 72. That would have meant that they arrived at checkpoint before us but only by a little bit and they were not there when we got there. So in saying that. They obviously got let through with ease.

My post wasn't meant to scare or alarm necessarily. I want to confirm if this is a legal checkpoint and after my experience I felt I should at least warn our community of the possibility of this checkpoint.

If you are in two vehicles and in caravan formation I would venture to say that you are completely fine but again just the experience was odd and I have A LOT of experience in Mexico. 8-10 trips/year...

I was hoping Russ or someone with the OVSC or whatever the tourism sector is called could verify this checkpoint or agency.

The uniforms were 100% FEDERAL MINISTERIAL. Never in my life seen them before. Not in 23 years.

 

[mexicoruss]

Mexico is allowed to have pop up inspections at their discretion...it is nothing personal against you. There are no illegal or nefarious checkpoints between the border and Peñasco.

 

[Mexico Joe]

Mexico is allowed to have pop up inspections at their discretion...it is nothing personal against you. There are no illegal or nefarious checkpoints between the border and Peñasco.

That wasn't my question and I already know that. My question was, have there been any other reports or does anyone know if Federal Ministerial is in the area?

I've never in my life seen Federal Ministerial uniforms. Try and focus on my concern Russ. I never said there couldn't be checkpoints. I asked about the agency in particular.

 

[Mexico Joe]

Mexico is allowed to have pop up inspections at their discretion...it is nothing personal against you. There are no illegal or nefarious checkpoints between the border and Peñasco.

Secondly, I looked at the house they had the checkpoint set up yesterday as we left town. It's a golf shot from Barbs Rescue not one mile as I previously stated. It's the hacienda/house/ranch for sale with Paloverde Trees out front in between the house and road that they made us pull behind. It's EXTREMELY CLOSE to Rocky Point. Why no MUNI Rocky Point Police?

Furthermore, you can't even say that it's even possible?????? Like not one percent possible it was nefarious? It's 100% possible that it's possible. Even if that is 2%. The idea again was to see if I could find someone to say, yes, the Federal Ministerial has been in Sonora for the last few months and or maybe someone else had come through the same bullshit checkpoint, POSSIBLY NEFARIOUS checkpoint and say, yes, we came through as well THIS DAY AT THIS TIME and WE BELIEVE IT WAS LEGAL and OR NO PROBLEM. That's it.


I'm not saying it was nefarious. I'm saying it was possible and honestly I give it a 33% chance. It was legal and weird. Legal personnel unofficial bussiness or just plain illegal and weird. 1-3 Russ. Prove to me I'm wrong by supplying information. You didn't even know there was a checkpoint there, how could you know anything about it?!

Why don't we keep this professional. I will ask two yes or know questions. You simply respond with yes or no for each respective question. No commentary. I will stop writing about this after this.

Are you aware of the agency Federal Ministerial?

Have you ever come across a Federal Ministerial checkpoint in Sonora?

 

[Queen of Kings]

Secondly, I looked at the house they had the checkpoint set up yesterday as we left town. It's a golf shot from Barbs Rescue not one mile as I previously stated. It's the hacienda/house/ranch for sale with Paloverde Trees out front in between the house and road that they made us pull behind. It's EXTREMELY CLOSE to Rocky Point. Why no MUNI Rocky Point Police?

Furthermore, you can't even say that it's even possible?????? Like not one percent possible it was nefarious? It's 100% possible that it's possible. Even if that is 2%. The idea again was to see if I could find someone to say, yes, the Federal Ministerial has been in Sonora for the last few months and or maybe someone else had come through the same bullshit checkpoint, POSSIBLY NEFARIOUS checkpoint and say, yes, we came through as well THIS DAY AT THIS TIME and WE BELIEVE IT WAS LEGAL and OR NO PROBLEM. That's it.


I'm not saying it was nefarious. I'm saying it was possible and honestly I give it a 33% chance. It was legal and weird. Legal personnel unofficial bussiness or just plain illegal and weird. 1-3 Russ. Prove to me I'm wrong by supplying information. You didn't even know there was a checkpoint there, how could you know anything about it?!

Why don't we keep this professional. I will ask two yes or know questions. You simply respond with yes or no for each respective question. No commentary. I will stop writing about this after this.

Are you aware of the agency Federal Ministerial?

Have you ever come across a Federal Ministerial checkpoint in Sonora?

Man your sense of entitlement is beyond belief. You are demanding a poster answer your questions in the manner you choose. He didn't agree with you so you are trying to burn him down. Look into yourself and take off the tinfoil hat. You are sick.

 

[mexicoruss]

Sorry to not answer in the way you want, the way you wrote your post was so..... uhm weird, you got singled out by an agency you didn't recognize....but as far as agencies in Mexico.....you may not be aware of them, that does not mean they are nefarious. With the new president many agencies have been changed, just because you don't know about does not make them wrong. You are freaking out about absolutely nothing. I mean nothing at all.

 

[rplarry]

Mexico is allowed to have pop up inspections at their discretion...it is nothing personal against you. There are no illegal or nefarious checkpoints between the border and Peñasco.

Hey RussBuss, can you guarantee that last statement ? If so, you would be wrong, and the sad point is that you know it. Can you honestly say that there has NEVER been an illegal or shakedown checkpoint or stop or whatever you want to call it when a group of people pull you over and are unmarked or shady ?? NEVER ??

I have known at least 3 families over the past 25 years who have been stopped in the middle of the highway at night with burning buckets of whatever lighting up the stop and shook them down for cash or stole all their stuff in their motorhome. That has happened multiple times,. So when someone like Joe who is experienced and is concerned and merely asks the question, don't be so arrogant and pompous in your reply. This shit does happen and has happened. And, there is no need IF they were legit feds to be assholes.

The problem with you Russ is that you are an apologist for Rocky Point regardless of how bad things can get. I've said before, if there is a sewer pipe that breaks and puts millions of gallons of feces in the streets, you call it a "mud-slick". When an Apache Helicopter LITERALLY fires rockets into Las Palomas you either say nothing or you might just argue something like, but they shot off botlte rockets, what's the big difference ?? Or if someone gets mugged and taken out into the darkness outside of town and robbed by a crooked taxi driver , which happened last year to my nephew, you would explain it away that the taxi driver was new and just moved here from Mexico City and didn't know his way around and needed a little cash.

You sit and make these videos drinking margaritas in your back yard, which is great, but there could be a slaughter going on next door and you might call it a little disagreement between amigos.

Your lack of compassion or reality to the sometimes awful stuff that goes on uniquely in Mexico is a sad testament to your credibility.

 

[rplarry]

Sorry to not answer in the way you want, the way you wrote your post was so..... uhm weird, you got singled out by an agency you didn't recognize....but as far as agencies in Mexico.....you may not be aware of them, that does not mean they are nefarious. With the new president many agencies have been changed, just because you don't know about does not make them wrong. You are freaking out about absolutely nothing. I mean nothing at all.

Had not even read this post by the RussBus and now laughing my arse off.

Man, you hit it out of the park and validated completely my prior reply.

Zero compassion, zero tact, zero credibility, zero judgement.

You are like that parent that has a little boy, who for the most part is usually a good kid, but he has a problem looking under the skirt of the little girls in class. Anyone you could ask would say, hey, that’s a freaking problem with your kid, he shouldn’t be doing that.

But somehow you would justify it as he was just stretching, or the girl was standing too tall, or that he’s just learning his colors, or something ridiculous to justify the terrible behavior.

That’s our mermaid boy for ya !

 

[mexicoruss]

Hey RussBuss, can you guarantee that last statement ? If so, you would be wrong, and the sad point is that you know it. Can you honestly say that there has NEVER been an illegal or shakedown checkpoint or stop or whatever you want to call it when a group of people pull you over and are unmarked or shady ?? NEVER ??

I have known at least 3 families over the past 25 years who have been stopped in the middle of the highway at night with burning buckets of whatever lighting up the stop and shook them down for cash or stole all their stuff in their motorhome. That has happened multiple times,. So when someone like Joe who is experienced and is concerned and merely asks the question, don't be so arrogant and pompous in your reply. This shit does happen and has happened. And, there is no need IF they were legit feds to be assholes.

The problem with you Russ is that you are an apologist for Rocky Point regardless of how bad things can get. I've said before, if there is a sewer pipe that breaks and puts millions of gallons of feces in the streets, you call it a "mud-slick". When an Apache Helicopter LITERALLY fires rockets into Las Palomas you either say nothing or you might just argue something like, but they shot off botlte rockets, what's the big difference ?? Or if someone gets mugged and taken out into the darkness outside of town and robbed by a crooked taxi driver , which happened last year to my nephew, you would explain it away that the taxi driver was new and just moved here from Mexico City and didn't know his way around and needed a little cash.

You sit and make these videos drinking margaritas in your back yard, which is great, but there could be a slaughter going on next door and you might call it a little disagreement between amigos.






Your lack of compassion or reality to the sometimes awful stuff that goes on uniquely in Mexico is a sad testament to your credibility.

Thanks your opinion is of course totally appreciated for what it is (for what it is)....hope to see you at the next Mermaids Market! www.mermaidsmarket.com! I will buy you a drink!

 

[mexicoruss]

of course you are hiding behind your user name.

 

[mexicoruss]

Had not even read this post by the RussBus and now laughing my arse off.

Man, you hit it out of the park and validated completely my prior reply.

Zero compassion, zero tact, zero credibility, zero judgement.

You are like that parent that has a little boy, who for the most part is usually a good kid, but he has a problem looking under the skirt of the little girls in class. Anyone you could ask would say, hey, that’s a freaking problem with your kid, he shouldn’t be doing that.

But somehow you would justify it as he was just stretching, or the girl was standing too tall, or that he’s just learning his colors, or something ridiculous to justify the terrible behavior.

That’s our mermaid boy for ya !.....

total credibility , total tact, total judgment, but zero respect for stupidity

 

[Old55]

That wasn't my question and I already know that. My question was, have there been any other reports or does anyone know if Federal Ministerial is in the area?

I've never in my life seen Federal Ministerial uniforms. Try and focus on my concern Russ. I never said there couldn't be checkpoints. I asked about the agency in particular.

AMLO is switching a lot of things up to keep the graft from going in the old pockets…Pri/Pan etc. the new guys might ding you too but I dont think its a nefarious setup.Driving at night again caused issues and opportunities.My bet its legit.

 

[Mexico Joe]

AMLO is switching a lot of things up to keep the graft from going in the old pockets…Pri/Pan etc. the new guys might ding you too but I dont think its a nefarious setup.Driving at night again caused issues and opportunities.My bet its legit.

Jerry! This was at 1pm my guy.

 

[Mexico Joe]

Also known as middle of the fucking day.

 

[Mexico Joe]

Hey RussBuss, can you guarantee that last statement ? If so, you would be wrong, and the sad point is that you know it. Can you honestly say that there has NEVER been an illegal or shakedown checkpoint or stop or whatever you want to call it when a group of people pull you over and are unmarked or shady ?? NEVER ??

I have known at least 3 families over the past 25 years who have been stopped in the middle of the highway at night with burning buckets of whatever lighting up the stop and shook them down for cash or stole all their stuff in their motorhome. That has happened multiple times,. So when someone like Joe who is experienced and is concerned and merely asks the question, don't be so arrogant and pompous in your reply. This shit does happen and has happened. And, there is no need IF they were legit feds to be assholes.

The problem with you Russ is that you are an apologist for Rocky Point regardless of how bad things can get. I've said before, if there is a sewer pipe that breaks and puts millions of gallons of feces in the streets, you call it a "mud-slick". When an Apache Helicopter LITERALLY fires rockets into Las Palomas you either say nothing or you might just argue something like, but they shot off botlte rockets, what's the big difference ?? Or if someone gets mugged and taken out into the darkness outside of town and robbed by a crooked taxi driver , which happened last year to my nephew, you would explain it away that the taxi driver was new and just moved here from Mexico City and didn't know his way around and needed a little cash.

You sit and make these videos drinking margaritas in your back yard, which is great, but there could be a slaughter going on next door and you might call it a little disagreement between amigos.

Your lack of compassion or reality to the sometimes awful stuff that goes on uniquely in Mexico is a sad testament to your credibility.

Thank you.