Yeah, like @JohnD I had just planned to boycott Mexico until this camera scam was resolved, but this trip opened up at a price I couldn't refuse (that is, all I had to pay for is airfare), so we will see.

Something we’ve known about for a while, but it’s going to reach a wider audience now:

PetaPixel

If You're Traveling to Mexico, Beware of the Camera Tax a...

Public Service Announcement.

I was planning to go on a WS in April to Socorro but was put off by this scam tax, replacing it with Maldives ”Sharktastic” in March instrad.

FWIW, I just got back from a trip to Cozumel. We flew directly from Charlotte, NC into Cozumel and no one batted an eye at my camera gear or even mentioned it.

On 2/3/2026 at 3:22 PM, SwiftFF5 said:

FWIW, I just got back from a trip to Cozumel. We flew directly from Charlotte, NC into Cozumel and no one batted an eye at my camera gear or even mentioned it.

One data point doesn't make a trend but it is a start. Hopefully there will be more positive ones to follow and maybe this will spread too.

18 hours ago, Cromagnon said:

One data point doesn't make a trend but it is a start. Hopefully there will be more positive ones to follow and maybe this will spread too.

Been to Cozumel many times and never paid a tax including twice last year. However, there is a report now on Scubaboard of two persons paying upwards of $500. Per this (sketchy) report one had two systems and the other had a nauticam, a GoPro and a camera with a phone!.

Here is the thing, I have been asked how many cameras I have and my answer is an honest one camera. If I start going on about a GoPro, a phone and whatnot who knows what the result might be. Also, I have not gotten the "red button" in any more recent trips. Another unknown.

Edited 3 hours ago3 hr by Nemrod