Cartels wreak havoc across Mexico in week of 'narco-terrorism'. The victim was forced to call his mother, say he was in trouble and instruct her to call an individual to pay $25,000 for his release. Mexico sent hundreds of troops to the border region after cars, buses and businesses were set on fire. The indictment alleges that from January to April of last year, the Tijuana-based gang took people for ransom in Mexico by luring them into meetings where they were taken hostage at gunpoint, tied up and sometimes badly beaten. We go into the field to interview, report and investigate. 3 Southern California men abducted, 2 killed, in cross-border kidnappings. The new spate of kidnappings does not compare to the events of Tijuanas darkest years. Remember, even though youre only a stones throw away from the United States, your rights as a U.S. citizen are seriously compromised while in Tijuana. It is confirmed that municipal police officers kidnapped, killed, and burned salesman in Tijuana . The five others arrested are: Aylin Estrada Reye, Oscar Bautista Valencia, Victoria Camila Espinoza Ballardo, Gilberto Omar Avila Lopez, 27, a.k.a. Travel safety tips:17 CIA tips on how to think like a spy and stay safe while on vacation, Not everyone wants to come to the US:Gun violence, safety concerns are keeping travelers away. But these types of crimes are not the . 2019 was an especially violent year for the city. Riding a moped in Phuket, Cebu City, Mumbai, and more. Tijuana is a fun place with great shopping and excellent food. Six Mexican nationals were charged on Tuesday, December 7th, with running a Mexico-based kidnapping ring that took nine people hostage and demanded ransom from their U.S. relatives but killed six of them, including some after the money was paid, officials said. But seeing armed men in ski masks, entering their homes is part of the reality experienced by some Americans living in Tijuana. A man, who told Telemundo 20 he wants to be named as just Cal, was one of the last victims to file a lawsuit with the authorities, he said he suffered the worst moment of his life when these assailants pointed a gun at his 7-year-old son. They will use some type of tactic to win your trust and lure you into a less busy area. For most people, the trip down there is uneventful. Also, your car isnt safe in either parking locations along the border. Metadata: TIJUANA, MEXICO (BP)-More than a week has passed since San Diego pastor Manuel Jesus Tec was kidnapped Oct. 21 in Tijuana, and his family still has not talked with or heard from him. You have a week to leave, or we will come back and kill everyone, he said of the threats he received. In the 1990s, Mexican criminal syndicates were simply a transport service moving drugs to the lucrative U.S. market. With a population of 1,763,197, there are 134 murders per 100,000 people. Hopefully there is justice, so they don't get to do this to anyone else or other kids.. With that said, dont argue with locals. Mexico sent hundreds of troops to the border region after cars, buses and businesses were set on fire. "Most homicides appeared to be targeted; however, criminal organization. At the same time, record numbers of U.S. citizens are either visiting Mexico as tourists or residing in the country, yet the number of Americans murdered in Mexico remains remarkably low. Avoid crime infested areas like Colonia 3 de Octubre, Zona Rio, and Zona Norte. As one Tijuana businessman put it, Mexico used to be DHL.. There have been many incidents of rape and aggression towards women in Tijuana. Work from home start today, get paid today, View the San Diego blue line schedule and map here. Additionally, there are plenty of reports of car theft and break-ins within these parking lots. Im not trying to lecture you, although Im just giving you information to make the right choice. Dont go wandering around this neighborhood, because trouble will find you. The rating is mostly based on its insanely high homicide rate of 2,367. SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.-. News. After all, the city has been ranked as the most violent city in the world for multiple years running now. This one neighborhood is more infamous than any other there. It is dangerous. Some who didnt have family members who could pay were killed and some hostages were killed to protect the conspiracy even after being ransomed, according to the U.S. attorneys offices statement. I think facts are the best way to understand how dangerous Tijuana is. Essentially, this is an age-old story that repeats itself about every decade in Mexico. MLB Preparing for Possible Broadcast Takeover for Teams With Bally Agreements. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also determined Mexico to beLevel 3, or High, for COVID-19. Travel warnings by the. Medrano says she still doesn't know why her son, an athlete and senior at Hoover High was targeted. Published by Statista Research Department , Aug 5, 2022 In 2022, the homicides rate of Tijuana in Mexico was 138 for every 100,000 people living in the city. It will take about 45 minutes. The Associated Press TIJUANA, Mexico The Mexican border cities of Tijuana and Mexicali along with Rosarito and Ensenada were hit by gang violence that included . 1163. While the Spanish discovered the region in 1542, the city was actually founded by farmers and ranchers in 1889. One of the policemen removed McMillans credit card from his wallet, asked him for his PIN number and withdrew $400 from an ATM. Today, U.S. citizens who live in Tijuana as Cal says the only thing that keeps him in the city is the immigration status of his family. He could barely talk.. Stay informed daily on the latest news and advice on COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report. Drug sales are done right out in the open here, and often youll witness users getting high just off of the main thoroughfares. How I saved 100k on a 75k income in 4 years, 96% are Christians with most identifying as Catholic, October-November with temps of 46 to 91, Hamburgers or hotdogs at Telefnica gastro park, Street tacos from Las Ahumaderas near Zona Ro, Zona Centro (while the touristy district is here, bad stuff still happens in this area. Its the main historic street of Tijuana and is also referred to as Zona Centro. But the man was killed on the same day that his mother met with the ransom collector in Norwalk, the indictment alleged. Fernando Sanchez Arellano, alias El Ingeniero,, MS13s Mexico Program Key to El Salvador Gang Negotiations, Peace Leaders in Putumayo, Colombia Bet Their Lives on Coca Crop Substitution, Pablo Escobar and the Real Criminal Story of the Cocaine Bear, Haitis Rural Gangs Threaten Food Production as Hunger Crisis Looms, Venezuelan Migrants Remain Easy Prey for Organized Crime. As illustrated in the Tijuana case, it takes just a small detonator. The State Department warns travelers about cartel-related crime as well. In reality, the vendors in Tijuana arent held to code for cleanliness, so Id avoid these. Victim D was murdered the day the ransom was paid, prosecutors said. Indicted by a federal grand jury, they face a multitude of charges, including extortion and conspiracy to commit hostage-taking resulting in death. My heart just almost stopped, said Medrano. He said as soon as he is able to leave, he will. Seeing armed men in ski masks, entering their homes is part of the reality experienced by some Americans living in Tijuana. So its quite expensive to park at the border, and you may want to use the metro to avoid paying the parking fees near the border. At dawn on May 16, a group of armed men burst into the Tijuana apartment of a woman and her 17-year-old son and abducted them both using extreme violence, according to media reports. Yes, Tijuana is dangerous. In Spanish, they said, Lady, we have your son. It was like a nightmare.". 1 of 3 expats return home because of these things. The end of 2021 has shown little improvement, and Tijuana has an average of about 164 murders a month now (source - Border Report ). Was Haiti's President Mose Killed for Valuable State Contracts? The agency cited an "increased risk of crime and kidnapping" in certain areas of Mexico. January 2010 was the previous record with 242, while in September 2017 there were 208. All will be checked now! If youre going down there for this type of fun, then pony up and spend a bit more to be safe. Your use of this service is subject to our The former vice president has become the Democratic front-runner with primary victories across the country. But large drug trafficking organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel have also worked to increase sales of cristal, or methamphetamine, in the Tijuana area. But for how long? The drug is cheap and highly addictive. May. Its unfortunate, although this is probably the most prominent thing to ruin a tourists time while visiting Tijuana. Muggers target tourists that may be a bit drunk. If convicted, the six defendants could face the death penalty or life in prison without chance of parole. This goes for tap water and ice cubes. The 2019 study details that the bloody incidents have created a negative image of the tourist gem, which has a . As a border town, its become a melting pot attracting cooks from many different places. More than two weeks later, his mother, Emma Medrano Gallardo says he was back in Tijuana to visit his girlfriend and to surprise mom. Review the. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Methamphetamine can be produced in domestic labs, and has become a new scourge in Mexico. It was not just the wealthy who were abducted, but the owners of small businesses and their family members. Hours into the mission, Luciano leapt. In Zona Norte, the ladies there are checked monthly. Every dollar supports our mission. The number of kidnappings in the Latin American country remained steady. Lastly, if you travel to one of the infamous strip clubs or bars, make sure to get a taxi directly to the establishment door. Kidnappings spiked in the period of the Tijuana Cartel's internal battles, between 2008 and 2010. They are currently being held in Mexico, with their attorney status unknown. Mexican National Guard closes the Mexico-Puebla highway after migrant caravan causes chaos, Reactivation of Stay in Mexico turns the countrys border cities into ticking time bombs. This local drug trafficking, or narcomenudeo as it is known in Mexico, has been on the rise across the country over the last decade. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. We all get it. In 2019, Baja California police reported a total of 800 murders in 1 week. Yes, thats right. The victim's mother struggled to obtain the ransom money but agreed to pay the hostage takers $1,000" along with the man's car for his release, according to the U.S. attorney's office. In 2021, Tijuana has been ranked number one for murders against women. They employed mugrosos, teenagers who would do the dirty work of the criminal syndicate, who worked in safe-houses where victims were held for short and sometimes long periods of time. Lastly, without a doubt, make sure not to try to walk to the tourist district at night. On Thursday, the prosecutor's office in Tijuana gave more details on the kidnappers who are being investigated for taking U.S. citizens hostage in Tijuana. Of the six victims killed, three did not have families that were able to pay the ransom, while another three were killed despite the money being sent and processed. Fear still lingering--as a music festival in rosarito draws in thousands of tourists. You can still visit this restaurant. There is also updated information on the "kidnapping risk"for the states of Colima, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, Baja California, Chihuahua, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Sonora, Nuevo Leon, Puebla, Quintana Rooand San Luis Potosi. The most dangerous place to drive your car in Tijuana is near Avenida Revolucion and Avenida Constitucion and Second and Third Streets. And lastly, dont use any dangly bags or store your wallet in a loose pocket. On Thursday, the prosecutors office in Tijuana gave more details on the kidnappers who are being investigated for taking U.S. citizens hostage in Tijuana. Aside from the warnings for everyday citizens, U.S. government employeeshave been direct to not travel alone, or to remote areas, avoid travel between cities after dark, and urged to use dispatched cars instead of taxis. Really, Tijuana was just an agriculture mud-hole. Nobody's visiting. The prosecutors office confirmed having detected these criminal groups that had taken at least three homes of Americans in Tijuana, today the army and the authorities guard the houses. There is still an enormous amount of poverty through small towns and rural areas, and many neighborhoods of Tijuana are rife with poverty and crime. In May of 2020,. The LAZ and International parking located just outside of the San Ysidro metro station prices are reported as deceptive. Sometimes the kidnappers did not know the identities of their victims until they had taken them captive, a marked departure from more sophisticated groups in both Mexico and Colombia, which gathered intelligence before taking high profile kidnap victims. There is a real danger for women who travel alone to Tijuana. NBC 7's Rory Devine spoke with the family of the man who died in Tijuana. Additionally, if youre new to Tijuana, it will be hard to find your way at night. Once the leash was off the Garcia faction, kidnapping became rampant, following a business model pioneered by Garcias older brother Marco Antonio Garcia Simental, alias El Cris (arrested in 2004). Due to the limited food supplies at the time in the region, he invented the caesar salad. All rights reserved. Looking back, his stomach dropped. This story was originally reported by NBC 7s sister station, Telemundo 20. The fact of the matter is, Tijuana has a long history with party-goers. First and foremost, dont dress like you want to be robbed. Tijuana isnt one of those places you go wild in. Hong Kong is one of the more reputable. Yes, thats right, I said the food is international. If a U.S. citizen still decides to travel to a Mexican state with a Level 4, or "do not travel to,"Travel Advisory or Level 3, "reconsider travel to," Travel Advisory, they are urged to read the State Department's information on high-risk travel. He could barely talk.. Im not saying there arent thousands of tourists that go there without incident, but things do unfortunately happen to tourists there every year. And the people are great, there is quite a bit to see and do, and the food is both amazing and international. Rosa, a 38-year-old asylum-seeker, fled her home-state of Michoacn in May of 2021, after a cartel stole her family's small farm and kidnapped her oldest son. The State Department's travel warning stated that travelers should "remain on highways and avoid remote locations" due to the high number of homicides in the non-tourist areas of Tijuana, as reported by Fox 5 San Diego News. Its a bad look. The travel advisory comes on the heels of a shelter-in-place alert in the Tijuana region, where cartel violence erupted last week in response to a series of arrests of drug cartel figures. Three days later a body was found, bearing signs of strangulation and wrapped in a blanket, which police said might be that of the mother. One incident, according to the Department of Justice, occurred when a co-conspirator traveled to a McDonald's to collect the ransom. Keep traveling companions and family back home informed of your travel plans. Unless youre a Tijuana local, you probably shouldnt cross the border at night. The Garcia group refused, as kidnapping was a valuable revenue source, and the stage for the worst violence Tijuana had ever experienced was set. Stay in popular tourist-friendly zones. Darsha Philips reports for the NBC4 News at 11 p.m. on Aug. 13, 2022. Officials from the Baja California Anti-Kidnapping Unit have also pointed out that surviving Garcia cells may still be kidnapping for ransom, and that it will take time to get rid of them all. "It's a shame for people to only focus on the aspect of crime and violence that take place.". Investigating organized crime is an expensive and often risky enterprise. This is a cartel-operated area. The prosecutor said they were able to uncover the kidnapping ring in 2020 thanks to the collaboration of the U.S. and Mexican governments. He said as soon as he is able to leave, he will. Reaching primary sources and getting the real story involve extensive fieldwork. He was always smiling, funny. In July, a visiting Texas firefighter was kidnapped and murdered at a Cancun resort. According to the advisory, "U.S.citizens are advised to adhere to restrictions on U.S. government employee travel." If youre innocent, pay the bribe on the spot and definitely dont go to the station. If you go, make sure to stay with a group and avoid going outside of the tourist district. And not just any drug debts but drug debts related to local trafficking. "There was a cell of subjects between professionals and armed people who were raiding in this area of Tijuana and Rosarito, coastal area and various operations have been carried out in coordination with the defense secretary and the national guard," Snchez said. Read 10 Tips to protect your valuables while traveling. In this article, Im going to go over some important notes to help you stay safe while in Tijuana. The victims mother struggled to obtain the ransom money but agreed to pay the hostage takers $1,000 along with the man's car for his release, according to the U.S. attorney's office. This neighborhood is fairly dangerous though, and you should use caution here. I never once had witnessed a murder or heard gun shots. Also, the town is dangerous because of territorial disputes between drug cartels, countless scams, and numerous muggings. There is also parking at the metro station, although many choose to park more North and take the blue line into the border. The bottom line is Tijuana is dangerous at night, and more crime often happens during the night and twilight hours there. Tijuana had 2,519 homicides in 2018. He was tied up and bloody with his face. A San Diego resident said, The worst thing that ever happened to me is I tend to trip on potholes on the sidewalk. At best, if you get too drunk and pass out, youll be robbed. One of the issues at stake was kidnapping. . Dont carry expensive bags, wear designer clothes or sporty new shoes. A federal grand jury in Los Angeles . But seeing armed men in ski masks, entering their homes is part of the reality experienced by some Americans living in Tijuana. Use toll roads when possible and avoid driving alone or at night. There are three types of thieves youll come across in Tijuana. And some parts of Mexico . FOX 11. And with such a high rate of crime in 2021, citizens can expect very little change in 2022. She says she reported the abduction to Mexican authorities and the FBI. They were beaten and killed after the kidnappers learned that they had no money, the indictment said. This is a more decentralized form of kidnapping, carried out among retail drug sellers. . Although if you travel down to party in the infamous Zona Norte red light district, then youre taking your chances. A federal grand jury in Los Angeles charged the alleged ringleader, German Garcia Yera Hernandez, 37, and five others with crimes, including extortion and conspiracy to commit hostage-taking resulting in death, according to a statement from the U.S. attorneys office in Los Angeles. Dave Grohl Hauls Big BBQ Smoker to LA Shelter to Feed People Amid Storm, Snow at Disneyland? There is so much good food down there, and you kinda just want to let your guard down and try everything. The chart above illustrates the trends. News of the recovery of the body of Miguel Anthony Rendon, who was 19 when he disappeared, came from the FBI several weeks ago, said his mother, Emma Carolina Medrano Gallardo, who lives in San Diegos City Heights neighborhood. Its a common story to hear about tourists being pulled aside by corrupt police in Tijuana. You can arrive at the border by either car, train, or bus. And if you walk in, you can simply walk back very easily. He had learning disabilities and was a special education student, but he had goals, and now he wont get to live his life, said Medrano. Please support our mission investigating organized crime. But the man was killed on the same day that his mother met with the ransom collector in Norwalk, the indictment alleged. August 20, 2022 5:00 AM ET. The states attorney general reported that as of the end of 2021, Tijuana registered a staggering 1,761 murders. That moment, it was like, my hope is gone, but it was like a relief, finally. Copyright 2022 TheAssociated Press. I could tell you that any place you travel to is dangerous. The town was nothing but farmland until the early 20th century. Be vigilant, pay attention, and always have a good understanding of where you are. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. They have since dropped significantly, but continue to remain higher than in the years before the civil war (February 2011 being one noticeable spike). In another case, two people from the U.S. and Mexico were abducted after meeting one of the kidnappers at a Tijuana nightclub and being invited to a home, according to the indictment. "Luis Enrique Avila Moreno" and "Omar," and Joel Eduardo Mascorro Delgado. Six people in a Tijuana-based ring are accused of kidnapping nine people and demanding ransom from their families. I will get to have him back and know where he is, Medrano, who led many searches for her son, told the KGTV television station. If separating from your travel group, send a friend your GPS location. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Because the rates of taxis are not always consistent, I would suggest taking an Uber there. 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