Thread: A Reason Not To Vacation In Mexico

MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Mexican authorities raided a kidnapping ring that filmed its victims being held inside a cage and beaten, federal authorities said Saturday. An abducted businessman was freed and five people were arrested.

Police also confiscated an iron cage in the raid Friday at two houses on the outskirts of Mexico City that led to the arrests of five men ages 18 to 31, the federal attorney general's office said.

The man freed had been held for ransom since May 19 by the group, which was known for filming its victims inside a cage or being beaten to pressure relatives for money, prosecutors said.

An arsenal including assault rifles and a submachine gun was found at the houses.

Federal authorities began investigating the group after the kidnapping of a Mexico City housewife in March 2003.

The gang, which operated in Mexico City and outlying areas in Puebla and Mexico State, typically abducted its victims as they left home in the morning or were on their way to work, later demanding up to $1 million from relatives, according to a news release. Victims were held for between 19 and 107 days and released on the outer reaches of the Mexico City urban area.

It was unclear how many people were abducted or exactly how many people were suspected of participating in the ring. Contacted on Saturday, the attorney general's office could not provide more details.

Kidnappings for ransom are fairly common in Mexico, but people are often reluctant to report them to police, out of fear that corrupt officers may be involved in the abductions or that authorities might kill the victim along with the kidnappers in any rescue effort.

Comment:

Kidnappings for ransom are fairly common in Mexico, but people are often reluctant to report them to police, out of fear that corrupt officers may be involved in the abductions or that authorities might kill the victim along with the kidnappers in any rescue effort.

The US and international community should get more involved in stuff like this. No wonder so may are wanting to leave Mexico. This isn't happening in some far away place. It's right next door.

Armored vehicle sales to individuals in Mexico City are amoung the highest in the world, along with the specialized terrorist avoidance driver training that goes with them.

Mexico City is one of the most dangerous cities in the Western Hemisphere, and has been for decades.

Anyone who travels there who doesn't need to is a person who really likes to live on the edge.