BajaGeoff - 3-14-2008 at 01:32 PM
TIJUANA – Baja California law enforcement officials say they have dismantled an important kidnapping ring linked to the Arellano Felix cartel that was
behind last January's abduction of real estate agents active in selling coastal properties in Tijuana and Rosarito Beach.
Nine people were arrested following the rescue late Wednesday of a another kidnapping victim, a 24-year-old business owner and mother of three from
San Quintin, an agricultural region south of the port of Ensenada. She was kidnapped Feb. 24 from her house, and her captors had demanded a ransom of
$250,000.
Baja California Attorney General Rommel Moreño Manjarrez announced the arrests late Thursday at a news conference in Tijuana, and said the suspects
were involved in kidnapping seven people for ransom; six were released, and one was killed. The kidnappers demanded ransoms ranging from $100,000 to
$300,000, he said.
Originally focused on drug trafficking, the Arellano Felix cartel has branched out into other crimes, including kidnapping, immigrant smuggling and
vehicle theft, Moreño said.
The suspects detained this week in Ensenada and Tijuana told investigators they reported to Saul Montes de Oca, a suspected member of the Arellano
Felix cartel, Moreño said.
The group is suspected of kidnapping the two female real estate agents in January; both hold U.S. and Mexican citizenship, and one has a residence in
Chula Vista, according to U.S. authorities. The women were rescued in Tijuana Jan. 30 by members of Baja California's anti-kidnapping squad.
Agents detained five suspects in that case, which allowed them to develop information leading to the rescue of the San Quintin woman, Moreño said.
Original article can be viewed here: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexico/tijuana/20080314-1...
DENNIS - 3-14-2008 at 01:57 PM
Things ARE happening. This is great news. Thanks Geoff.
TonyC - 3-14-2008 at 03:02 PM
Great news. I was down there when the woman from San Quintin was kidnapped. I'm glad she was found, and reunited with her family. They need strong
penalties for this type of crime.
Steve&Debby - 3-16-2008 at 07:31 PM
"Strong penalties" How about a strong tree limb and a rope, the old fastioned way. Stops repeat offenders.
Woooosh - 3-16-2008 at 09:10 PM
It's 40 years down here for kidnapping/extortion. It's a slap on the hand if people are "denied their freedom temporaily for the purposes of robbery"
though (hence the upsurge in Express ATM kidnappings). The community lynchings are reserved for child molesters by the victims family- I do like that
style of old-west justice- but that's mostly on the mainland.
Most people I kow understand that the drug kingpins set up some of their lower ranks to take a fall once ina while to give the police some good news
report. happens all the time. Any gang that can hand the former TJ police of chief $500K USD per month for co-operation isn't waiting by the phone
for a few hundred thousand in ransoms to be paid. This is just a display apprehension. Come on- 18 of 150 Rosarito cops were fired for ballistics
violations and we but a handful of confirmed abductions. The TJ policve stats would be staggering.
I also can't believe they think a realtor could have $100K to pay ranson in these times. The did kidnap the owners of the Bada-Bing strip club in
Rosarito- so someone knows where the money is. I'll bet the kidnappers camp out in front of those new million dollar homes in Puerto Nuevo and pick
their victims with ease.
[Edited on 3-17-2008 by Woooosh]