If this is the same individual or company that is advertising this 2017 trip, then by all means make sure that those that are not aware are told of the shabby enterprise they are about to get into, from what you mention if the guy collected the bribes to give to the customs and police, he was fleecing all of you for trip money.
Travelling in a caravan gives the tourist safety in numbers and NO border agent is going to request a bribe, should there be a complaint there are to many witnesses against them, same with the police there are to many that know the truth of the incident.
navegator
