El Sol de Tijuana

Scene on a Tijuana sidewalk

Tijuana authorities recently detained around 30 prostitutes for failure to have current health cards in an ongoing citywide crackdown on violators of a variety of municipal laws.

“We’ve had an intense operation dealing with sex workers without a health card, minors drinking in bars, street merchants and people selling items related to the World Cup,” said the city’s inspections director, José Antonio Olivas, in the June 26 edition of the daily El Sol de Tijuana.

About 45 city inspectors working in unison have been involved in the crackdown, Olivas said.

"When we asked to see their health cards, some said they did not have one because they cost too much,” continued Olivas. “Others said they did not have one because they were too embarrassed to get one, or they didn’t have the time, or that they were not prostitutes and were just waiting for someone in the area. But we know otherwise because we have operations every day.”

Prostitutes in Tijuana are required to undergo periodic health exams in an attempt to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, including tests for the HIV virus.

The sweep includes all of Centro, from Calle Primera to Calle Diez, the Coahuila, downtown’s main avenues (e.g., Revolución, Constitución, and Niños Héroes). It also includes Zona Río and the area around 5 y 10.

Olivas said inspectors have found minors drinking in several bars, among them some high school girls. Recently ten under-age drinkers were nabbed.