Attempted Theft by Cuban Citizen Reported at Zara Store in Cancun Shopping Mall

A 36-year-old Cuban national was detained by security personnel at a Zara store located in Plaza La Isla, a popular shopping destination in Cancun's Hotel Zone, after allegedly trying to exit the store with two pieces of clothing hidden beneath his shirt, as reported by Periódico Quequi.

The incident took place last Friday at kilometer 12 on the Kukulcán Boulevard. Police officers arrived on the scene following a report of an attempted theft. Security staff identified the suspect as Erwin'l B. G., a ride-sharing driver, who was accused of attempting to leave with a white garment and a brown garment worth approximately 1,100 Mexican pesos in total.

According to social media posts by the same outlet, the police offered Erwin'l B. G. the opportunity to pay for the items on the spot. After he complied, he was allowed to leave without facing formal charges.

"The incident came as a surprise to those who witnessed it," the publication noted.

The Zara store chose not to file any criminal charges with the authorities. "Store representatives expressed that they did not wish to pursue legal action against the individual for the alleged theft of the clothing," the news report stated.

Due to the absence of a formal complaint, the man was taken to the Civic Judge for an alleged administrative offense of disobedience and resistance. This municipal body handles minor infractions without the need for criminal prosecution. Since the store did not file a formal accusation, the case was not forwarded to the State Attorney General's Office of Quintana Roo.

This incident is part of a series of events involving Cuban nationals in Cancun in recent months.

In mid-August, another Cuban was arrested in the hotel zone on suspicion of drug dealing and multiple thefts from commercial establishments. Just days later, a third incident involved a Cuban detained with over 100 doses of alleged drugs and counterfeit bills.

Back in May, the Cuban community in Cancun publicly denounced a climate of xenophobia and requested intervention from the Cuban consulate.

Community leaders at that time distinguished between migrants arriving to work and those deported from the United States with criminal records, identifying the latter as the primary source of conflicts.

The Cuban presence in Cancun and Quintana Roo has been steadily increasing in recent years, with many migrants working in the informal economy or in low-barrier jobs such as ride-sharing, which was the occupation of the individual involved in this case.