detecting in Mexico?

[Rumblebelly]

Has anyone ever metal detected in Mexico on the beaches? Does anyone know the laws (if it's ok to do)?

I'm planning a trip down there and I do not want to get into any trouble. I think it would be great to get a few different coins.

Thank you for the help and shared experiences,
Rumblebelly

 

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[DCMatt]

Somebody posted a thread on this topic a few months ago. He detected the beaches around Cancun. Had limited success because of hurricane damage to the beaches a year or two ago.

But as for laws, he said there is no problem.

DCMatt

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Back in the 1980s, Fisher Co. had a monthly periodical. Someone had written a letter to Fisher asking if md'ing in Mexico was legal. Fisher, in answer to the question, wrote the reply as an editorial, with a title to the effect of: "When going to Mexico, leave the detectors at home". The article said that it was illegal, etc.... In the following few editions, there were many letters to the editor saying things like "Since when??", "Where'd you get that info?" etc... People were saying that they detect in Mexico all the time, and have no problem. Detectors are a common site on tourist beaches all the time, and there are dealers down there of all the major brands (even Fisher! haha).

In answer to the objections people were giving to Fisher's article, Fisher published this explanation: To get their legal answer, they had inquired of a Mexican consulate, lawyer, or border bureaucrat or whatever, and simply asked "Is metal detecting allowed in Mexico?" Seems like the logical thing to do, right? Afterall, rumors always circulate about "confiscated detectors" and "time spent in a Mexican Jail" blah blah blah right? Well I guess that whomever Fisher had asked, must've been thinking of laws applying to antiquities, preserved historic monuments, shipwreck salvor laws, etc... etc.... Hence, their answer to the inquiry.

I guess that's no different than if you asked some USA bureaucrat lawmakers too. They may answer your question based in terms of federal land, historic monuments, or maybe the lawmaker's thinking of the Mel Fisher legal hassles, blah blah blah. But we all know you can detect here in the USA till you're blue in the face. For these reasons, I sometimes take it with a grain of salt, when I hear someone say "it's illegal to detect in such & such"

I went detecting at various villages in the Sierra Madres. We never had a problem. We went through the border at El Paso/Juarez, with detectors in full view in the trucks, and had no problems. One of the border patrol even looked at them, and asked "what're those?". My translator/host told him: "pasa tiempo" (pass-time/hobby). They just shrugged their shoulders and waved us through.

 

[jbrown]

i was in cancun this past feb. and detected the beaches there, i had no problems. the water was a rough so i could not get in to seach a lot. again i had no problems with anyone hope this help good luck

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

HI" I can't speak legally, but I have been detecting in Mexico since 55 with no problems other than finding something.

Don Jose de La Mancah