In 1996, nine-year-old Amber Hagerman was kidnapped from a parking lot in Arlington, Texas. Cartel violence, kidnapping prompt Mexico travel warning The cartel, which, according to the US State Department, hasthe highest cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine trafficking capacity, is allegedly led by Juan Carlos Valencia Gonzlez. Most of the kidnapped migrants were Nicaraguans, who have been leaving their homeland in growing numbers to claim asylum and pursue better economic opportunities in the United States, encouraged by the knowledge they are unlikely to be immediately deported due to frosty relations between their government and Washington. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Earlier in 2021, the head of the SAPS kidnap unit was found to have extorted money from a kidnapping victims family. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Kidnapping in Mexico increased in January 2022 - American Post Kidnap and extortion pressures continue in Mexico - Hiscox London Market Between 2000 and 2006, there were about 400 kidnappings a year, which, while still a lot . Tony Garcia, 68, was charged with the 1981 killings of Rachel Zendejas, 20, and Lisa Gondek . We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. In 2018, the number of drug-related homicides in Mexico rose to 33,341, a 15 percent increase from the . According to local authorities, a confrontation between drug dealers had exploded into lethal . Despite the increase in travel advisories presenting warnings about kidnappings, tourists are reminded that such incidents are infrequent and that the state is fully-equipped to deal with these difficult situations. In 2020, only 0.11% of missing children cases were the result of stranger abductions. In June 2021, two heads and other human remains were left at polling stations in the border city of Tijuana on election day. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. (March 20, 2022). The incidents appear to comprise one of the biggest known mass kidnappings in Mexico in recent years, said Stephanie Leutert, an immigration expert at the University of Texas at Austin. National Institute for Migration/Handout via REUTERSReuters, By Jose Luis Gonzalez, Jackie Botts and Daina Beth Solomon. Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The group of men who traveled via all-terrain vehicles from Guanajuato to Puerto Vallarta. "WE HAVE SEEN A SPIKE IN KIDNAPS IN SOUTH AFRICA TARGETING HNWIS [HIGH NET WORTH INDIVIDUALS], PARTICULARLY THOSE IN THE CONSUMER GOODS SECTOR, WHERE MULTIMILLION USD DEMANDS ARE THE NORM. Mexico Peace Index 2022: Identifying and measuring the - ReliefWeb statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account. Eight bodies were found Saturday on Mexico 's Yucatan peninsula, and they appear to be those of eight men apparently kidnapped from a resort on the Caribbean . This story has been shared 172,835 times. (GUILLERMO ARIAS/AFP via Getty Images), MEXICO PRESIDENT LOPEZ OBRADOR URGES CALM AMID CARTEL VIOLENCE, US GOVERNMENT STAFF TOLD TO SHELTER IN PLACE. The decapitated body of Mexican businesswoman Susana Carrera was found last week after her family was unable to pay kidnappers the ransom they demanded. Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the worlds largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. However, recent incidents show kidnap gangs are looking at different avenues for extracting ransoms, and have, for example, targeted the children of wealthy individuals. Michoacan state due to crime. Is Cabo San Lucas Safe For Travel 2023 [Mexico - Passports and Grub The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. Migrant estimates of the different incidents, combined with the INM figure, suggests it was over 1,000. WHILST THIS REDUCTION IN ACTIVITY CAN BE REFLECTIVE OF INSUREDS ON RISK AT ANY GIVEN TIME, IT SHOULD ALSO BE ASSESSED ALONGSIDE GENERAL REPORTING OF INCIDENTS IN THE REGION, WHICH I BELIEVE HAVE REDUCED.". The Army and INM did not respond to requests for comment about the Dec. 7 rescue, while the National Guard said it participated as it did on Dec. 5. He said a search for the soldiers was launched by Mexicos army, navy and National Guard and included the use of helicopters. Further attention has also been placed on the hotel zones in Cancun and Tulum. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers. Tijuana-based Kidnapping Ring That Allegedly Killed 6, Including 3 U.S. Citizens, Arrested By Erin Brady On 12/8/21 at 11:55 AM EST News Mexico Kidnapping Six people allegedly connected to a. "Capital punishment is the sentence for all these crimes.". Data on kidnapping is notoriously unreliable and cases significantly underreported it is often in the interests of all parties to avoid full disclosure of incidents or ransom demands to the public. ", PETE DOHERTY, HEAD OF CRISIS RESPONSE AT S-RM. These factors point to a persistent kidnapping threat in South Africa in the coming year. Visitors to the region are reminded that such incidents typically occur in tourist-frequented areas late at night, such as Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum. The profile of kidnapping victims in 2021 also suggest a broadening target profile, both local and foreign: civil servants, missionaries, clergymen, teachers and tourists have all fallen victim to kidnappers in the past year. In fact, a 136-mile highway that connects Nuevo Laredo and Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, is known as "the highway of death," or "carretera de la muerte," because dozens of people have disappeared in the area without a trace. As soon as this statistic is updated, you will immediately be notified via e-mail. San Luis Potosi statedue tocrime and kidnapping. Mexican authorities have been waging a deadly battle against drug cartels for more than a decade, but with limited success. The rescue effort led to the recovery of 14 others being held against their will by the . On Dec. 7, according to Rizo, the kidnappers departed quickly after they appeared to spot authorities outside. Like other criminal activity, the threat of kidnapping appears to be re-emerging, too. In one incident, Mexico's Migration Institute (INM) said that along with the Army and National Guard it had freed more than 250 people from a property in the Durango town of Ciudad Lerdo on Dec. 5. The states of Veracruz, Mexico City, Puebla, Morelos, and the State of Mexico had the highest incidence of kidnapping crime. Screen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. Market data provided by Factset. Top U.S. general makes unannounced visit to Syria, reviews mission, Russia close to encircling Ukraine's Bakhmut after months of fighting, Reporting by Jose Luiz Gonzalez in Ciudad Juarez and Jimenez; Jackie Botts in Oaxaca City; and Daina Beth Solomon in Mexico City See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. Number of kidnapping cases in Mexico 2021 | Statista Use Ask Statista Research Service. Discoveries of mutilated bodies dumped in public or hung from bridges have increased in Mexico in recent years as criminal gangs seek to intimidate their rivals. Morelos state due to crime and kidnapping. Puerto Vallarta is dominated by the ultra-violent Jalisco drug gang, which has often openly clashed with the military. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. However, since 2018 almost 95% of kidnapped victims have been Haitian citizens, including clergy . (Reuters, News24) Statistics show that 71% of non-family abductions happen outdoors. In contrast, there are eight states that did not register any kidnappings during January, which are Baja California Sur, Campeche, Mexico City, Colima, Durango, San Luis Potos, Tamaulipas and Yucatn. Monkey Pox - U.S. Embassy Cancun, Mexico (July 27, 2022) Mexico has confirmed 60 cases of monkeypox, Undersecretary of Prevention and Health Promotion Hugo Lopez-Gatell said on Tuesday. Tamaulipas statedue tocrimeandkidnapping. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/979091/mexico-number-kidnapping-cases/, Number of kidnapping cases reported in Mexico from 2015 to 2021, Available to download in PNG, PDF, XLS format, Mexico: most common crimes witnessed in Mexico 2022, Mexico: victimization rate 2021, by state, Mexico: perceived level of insecurity 2013-2022, Mexico: perceived insecurity by gender and location 2022, Mexico: economic impact of violence in 2015-2021, Mexico: economic impact of violence 2021, by indicator, Mexico: economic impact of homicide 2015-2021, Mexico: economic impact of fear 2015-2021, Mexico: justice system and incarceration spending 2015-2021, Mexico: public spending on violence containment 2021, by area, Mexico: per capita economic impact of violence 2021, by state, Mexico: number of homicides by cause of death 2021, Mexico: number of kidnapping cases 2015-2021, Mexico: main states in number of kidnapping cases 2021, Mexico: number of extortion cases 2015-2021, Mexico: number of human trafficking cases 2015-2021, Mexico: number of child trafficking cases 2015-2021, Mexico: businesses robbed or burglarized 2015-2021, Mexico: number of home burglaries 2015-2021, Number of insured vehicles stolen in Mexico 2014-2021, Number of detected fossil fuel thefts in Mexico 2001-2021, Number of violent crime victims as share total population in the Netherlands 2017, Kidnapping rate in the Benelux 2017, by country, Number of stalking cases recorded by police in Germany 2009-2020, Number of missing persons files in the U.S. 2021, by age and gender, Colombia: kidnapping cases 1958-2018, by party responsible, Number of missing persons files in the U.S. 2021, by race, Number of kidnapping offenses in Russia 2010-2018, Number of reported abduction and kidnapping cases in India 2005-2021, Number of vandalism victims in the Netherlands 2007-2017, Number of kidnapping cases Philippines 2019-2022, Kidnapping: percentage of cases for ransom 2004-2012, by continent, Family violence crime victims in Russia 2012-2021, Usage of the search term symphony in bibliographic databases in the U.S. 2010, Find your information in our database containing over 20,000 reports. The Lerdo mayor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "WE RESPONDED TO SEVERAL PIRACY CASES LATE LAST YEAR AND UP UNTIL MARCH OF THIS YEAR, AFTER WHICH WE HAVE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN OUR RESPONSE TO THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT. Some restrictions include not hailing taxis from the street but rather using a ride-share service like Uber or regulated taxi stands, and to not travel alone to remote locations. Highly organised and specialised gangs run kidnappings almost as a matter of routine, and there is little to suggest either Haitis security or legal infrastructure currently have the capacity to quell the threat. Legal Statement. Mexico has a kidnapping problem. And it's getting worse. - Vox 8 bodies found by farmer likely kidnapped workers from Mexican resort Recent positive developments aside, the Gulf of Guinea will remain a high-risk seafaring area in 2022. This will happen to anyone who messes around," the sign reads, according to a photo of the crime scene provided by the police to Reuters. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Two of them specified that they were rescued along with hundreds of other migrants by Mexican federal law enforcement on Dec. 7, and then began walking north on highways. The Lindbergh kidnapping inspired the creation of the Federal Kidnapping Act as well as several state-level anti-kidnapping laws. Four migrants said people in police uniforms stopped the buses they were traveling in and attempted to extort them for between 200 pesos ($10) and 5,000 pesos ($255), before entire busloads were taken by armed men to nearby properties where they were held against their will. Migrants Tell of Mass Kidnappings in Mexico Before Crossing Into the U.S. S-RMs GSI is the simplest way to get a fresh perspective on the security risks affecting you, your work, and your travel. Authorities have not announced anyone caught or charged with kidnapping. U.S. Issues Travel Safety Warning For Cancun And Mexico Margaret Wednesday 16th of March 2022 This year was our 16th visit to Mexico. Then you can access your favorite statistics via the star in the header. September 15, 2022. This comes after Oscar Montes de Oca ( the head of the Quintana Roo Attorney Generals Office) confirmed that no other kidnapping attempts had been documented by authorities. The U.S. Department of State issued a new travel warning for US citizens visiting Tijuana and Baja California. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Express Kidnapping was found to be the most common form of targeting tourists or foreigners working in the region: here, the victims are made to draw funds from ATMs, often at knifepoint or gunpoint. Armed members of the National Guard drive past the site of a burnt collective transport vehicle after it was set on fire by unidentified individuals in Tijuana, Baja California state, Mexico, on August 12, 2022. See state summaries and advisory levels below for information on your specific travel destination. "The investigation is advancing, and I assure you all that we will take this to the ultimate consequences," the state's governor, Maria Eugenia Campos, said during a Tuesday news conference. (Jonathan Alpeyrie/Bloomberg via Getty Images), Sarah Rumpf is a writer on the breaking news team for Fox News Digital. 2022 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Similarly, the Civil Association Stop Kidnapping, documented that of 114 kidnapping victims in January of this year, the authorities accounted for 34, leaving 70 percent of the victims out of the statistics. Not all U.S. presidents are missed once they leave the White House. In 2019, the number of cases of intentional injury in Mexico increased for the fourth straight year in a row. This included a shooting at Playa del Carmens Fifth Avenue a popular area for tourists to visit. The best of the best: the portal for top lists & rankings: Strategy and business building for the data-driven economy: Industry-specific and extensively researched technical data (partially from exclusive partnerships). Two high-ranking leaders of Los Aztecas ran the gang's sex-trafficking and kidnapping ring from inside the walls of two prisons in Jurez. Members of the security forces work on a rescue operation of kidnapped migrants, in Ciudad Lerdo, Durando, Mexico in this handout image released December 6, 2022. June 27, 2022 / 6:10 AM / CBS/AP. Amid the recent spate of kidnapping and killing incidents, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Thursday that from January up to July this year abduction cases were mostly related to POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator), but mostly these have since been resolved. Enter your email address to subscribe to The Cancun Suns latest breaking news affecting travelers, straight to your inbox. The crime, in which the Garridos kept Dugard (and eventually her two daughters, both sired by Garrido via sexual assaults) in sheds and tents in their backyard, could have been discovered multiple times, were it not for several errors in judgement and protocol by law enforcement authorities. "Number of kidnapping cases reported in Mexico from 2015 to 2021." US State Department Issues New Travel Warning For Tijuana And Baja