Don’t Mess with Karate Guys

Four municipal cops have been arrested for robbing the president of an international Tae Kwon Do organization who was in town to preside over a championship contest. The event brought hundreds of practitioners of the martial art, and their fans, to this city.

The evening newspaper El Segunda reported that Korean Kim Chum Ku was traveling in a taxi two blocks west of Avenida Revolución on Tuesday evening at around 9:30, near the nightclub district, when the cab was pulled over by two squad cars bearing four police officers. The officers pulled Ku out of the cab and demanded to see his immigration papers, then allegedly removed his billfold and went through his pockets and took $500, 300 euros, and 100 Canadian dollars.

Ku filed a complaint with city authorities and, with the support of local sports organizations and his cab driver, the four officers were identified and arrested.

Tijuana mayor Jorge Ramos lamented the incident, which is still under investigation. One of the arrested officers was quoted as saying that a fellow officer handed him $200 and said, "Look what the little Chinese guy left for us.”

Sources: El Segunda, Frontera