By Stefanie Tellez
Home to historic ruins and pristine beaches, it is no mystery why Mexico is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. However, constant reports of cartel violence have made many would-be American tourists reluctant to visit this diverse and beautiful country.
Former Tijuana police chief Alejandro Lares and retired San Diego police officer of 27 years David Contreras have teamed up to create International Solutions, a new business focused on making traveling to and from Mexico a little more worry-free.
Drawing upon their extensive experience and contacts from working within law enforcement on both sides of the border, Lares and Contreras are equipped to assist tourists through various mishaps that might arise while in Mexico.
International Solutions provides a 24-hour phone line ready to help in cases of a lost or stolen passport, car theft, traffic violation, kidnapping, robbery, or even just getting lost.
Lares said he hopes this will expand the pool of people willing to travel to Mexico.
“With our service, travelers can feel safer and know that the people behind this company are former law enforcement officials,” he said. “Hopefully, that will give them confidence when traveling to any state in Mexico.”
For example, if a traveler gets their passport stolen, they would call International Solution’s phone line and International Solutions would in turn make all the appropriate procedures in reporting the theft and requesting a replacement.
In the case of a kidnapping, International Solutions would circulate the picture of the kidnapped person to all the official channels and act as a liaison between the tourist and law enforcement. They aim to be a one stop, binational logistical solution.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, in 2015, over 14,435,252 personal vehicles crossed the San Ysidro Port of entry. Additionally, 7,056,022 pedestrians walked across the border. Although the rate of crime in Mexico has been sensationalized, with such a large number of people crossing from one country into the other there is bound to be a need for emergency assistance. Every country is different in the lifelines they provide to foreigners, which can be difficult to navigate. The U.S. and Mexican Consulates are closed on the weekends. Emergency numbers in Mexico and the U.S. are not the same, and some insurance companies only cover up to a certain amount of miles from the Mexican border.
Contreras said there is are many people who don’t know about the ins and outs of how things work in other countries, so they hope to make their travel experience smoother.
“We want to use our experience to give back to the citizens that travel,” he said. “We can help them and serve as a liaison between them, law enforcement and the community.”
During a trial run of the newly opened International Solutions, their first customer was beyond pleased with the service.
Cesar Romero, a 52-year-old retired San Diegan, used International Solutions during his recent vacation with his family to Cancun.
Romero heard news of kidnappings in certain areas his family of five would be traveling to. He felt alarmed by the crimes.
“I wanted to feel a little bit more secure and have a peace of mind.” said Romero. “In case of any type of emergency, it was nice knowing I could just make a call to International Solutions to help me.”
Services like International Solutions are a welcome resource to many Mexican residents who work in Mexico’s tourism industry, as tourism is currently the nation’s fifth biggest source of revenue; 14 million international tourists visit Mexico every year.
Prior to serving Tijuana as Chief of Police and director of the Tijuana Police Department’s International Liaison Unit, where he and Contreras first met. They worked together on cases that dealt with homicides, kidnappings, and special interest cases. Contreras was also assigned to the San Diego Police Department Criminal Intelligence International Liaison and led a team that served as liaisons to Mexico, Canada, and all foreign countries.
“We started this business because we know how everything moves on the U.S. side and the Mexico side,” said Lares. Contreras agreed.
“We already have the relationships and contacts for all of the people that want to travel to Mexico and the United States.”