I call bullshit on this dude's story. There are minimarts in the parking lots at the airport. Taxis are a fucking rip-off. Costs $60-80 just to leave the airport in a cab. And they sell chewing tobacco in the duty free stores. https://www.fox5ny.com/news/tourist-kidnapped-mexico-left-for-dead
When I was in isla mujeres I couldn’t find chewing tobacco anywhere. The next time I went to Mexico I loaded up on it before I went. I’ve since quit.
Nah, he did one of those you and your wife come down for a vacation, we'll pay, you just have to bring something back to the US for us. And I bet he tried to back out.