Posted on 02/08/2022 3:05:38 PM PST by nickcarraway
TOURISTS escaping Covid lockdowns for drug-fuelled "plague raves" in Mexico are driving a bloody new cartel war that has left hundreds dead, experts say.
Holidaymakers from the US and UK have been warned they could be caught in the crossfire on the beaches of Cancun and Playa del Carmen after a shocking spike in violence.
Mobsters have previously kept their gun battles well away from the hotels on Mexico's sun-soaked Mayan Riviera, fearing it would be "bad for business".
But bloodthirsty kidnap and torture gangs of the ultra-violent Jalisco New Generation Cartel are said to have ripped up the code as they seized new turf.
And the past months have seen an alarming spike in shootings close to the resort hotels that draw 12million holidaymakers a year.
Last month two Canadians were murdered by a hitmen who had a wristband to get past security at the Hotel Xcaret resort, south of Playa del Carmen.
And in November four Americans were injured in a deadly shootout between rival dealers on a beach next to the five-star Hyatt Ziva Riviera in Cancun.
That came a fortnight weeks after two women — a California travel blogger and a German tourist — were killed in crossfire between rival gangs at a resort bar in Tulum. State police chief Lucio Hernández Gutiérrez said: “A major reason the cartels are here is because of the large demand for drugs, especially among tourists.
“It’s a very difficult thing to stop.”
November's gun battle in Cancun erupted after hotel guests asked where to buy cocaine and the staff called a number of dealers, police alleged.
Terrified tourists ran for cover after 15 armed men on boats raced onto the sand, and opened fire with semi-automatic rifles leaving two gangsters dead.
Hotel assassination Two other factors are also driving the recent bloodshed, according to a Global Risk Insights report.
One is the state's strategic position in global smuggling routes.
The dead Canadians were involved in trafficking drugs and weapons internationally and were targeted for assassination over a debt, police said.
The gunman had checked himself into the luxury hotel as a guest in a brazen public hit that was planned months before.
The other factor is the eruption of a turf war following the break-up of the Zetas Cartel which used to dominate.
Two of Mexico's most powerful syndicates - the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel - sent battalions of foot soldiers from the other side of the country.
At least eight other groups are also battling for control, turning tourist hot spots into a warzone littered with corpses.
In 2018 the US issued a travel warning after Cancun saw 100 murders in three months, including nine in 36 hours.
Hoteliers have previously been able to assure guests that all the violence takes place in poor neighbourhoods well away from tourist enclaves.
What has alarmed operators and the police more recently is how the bloodshed has spilled over into the heart of busy resorts.
Caught in the crossfire In 2019 Brits on a a Thomas Cook holiday feared a Tunisia-style terror attack as a lifeguard was gunned down at the Grand Bahia Principe near Tulum.
Last June a US tourist in a bikini was wounded by a stray bullet as assassins on jet skis opened fire within the hotel zone of Playa Tortugas in Cancun.
In July, Texas firefighter Elijah Snow was found dead dangling from a window during a tenth wedding anniversary break at an all-inclusive resort on Cancun's beachfront.
His family said he was kidnapped inside his hotel and murdered.
In October, a gun battle erupted at a tourist bar and restaurant off Tulum's main strip when a gangster reportedly recognised a rival.
Instagram influencer Anjali Ryot was killed along with German tourist Jennifer Henzold. Two other Germans and a Dutch tourist were wounded.
The German Foreign Office warned at the time: “If you are currently in the Tulum or Playa del Carmen area, do not leave your secured hotel facilities.”
In November a sadistic gang called Los Pelones — "the bald ones" — plastered chilling signs in Tulum marketplace warning tourist businesses they were taking control.
Los Pelones are said to be enforcers for the Gulf Cartel, which is engaged in a ferocious war with the Jalisco mob who are famous for dismembering victims.
In December five gunmen on jet skis peppered a Cancun beach with bullets outside the four-star Oasis Palm, sending tourists running for cover.
It is thought they were targeting dealers who ply their trade on the strip.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has vowed to halt the spiralling violence.
Around 1,500 National Guard troops have been deployed to guard beaches and concert venues as part of the newly formed Tourist Security Battalion.
Experts said although they may reassure visitors, they will do little to stop the wave of carnage blighting the once-tranquil oasis.
Last month video showed Jalisco gangsters using a drone to drop a bomb on a rival gang's woodland camp.
“I’ll take ‘Songs They Can’t Play On the Radio Anymore’ for $400, Alex!”
Out of curiosity, which city were you staying?
That movie was so terrible an pointless, that just thinking about seeing it 25 years ago still fills me with anger. The director deserves to have oral surgery by a drunk dentist with rusty implements.
It was south of Tijuanna, because I didn’t want to even go close to there. (There were bodies in the news every day back then.) Can’t recall the name as they all sounded the same to me. When it comes to foreign languages and me, I’m reminded of a Farside cartoon. A woman is scolding a dog and periodically says the dog’s name. The next panel shows what the dog hears and it’s, “blablabla Ruffy, blablabla, Ruffy.”
!
Or Portland
Last time I was down there was in the early to mid 80’s.
Did a lot of volunteer work at the local schools in Punta Banda, I would buy (out of my own pocket) surplus school district desks, chairs, reams of paper and building supplies.
When I found out the school principals were stealing all the paper goods, pencils, surplus computers (older equipment our schools no longer used or wanted), typewriters, etcetera, and selling it on their black market, I just said to hell with this crap and quit.
The kids and their parents really appreciated what I was doing but I had to tell them it was costing me a lot of money and stress every time I was stopped by the crooked Mexican police and had to pay the extra mordida.
And if everything I brought was just going to be stolen by the school administrators there was no point in continuing.
TO BAD - SO SAD!
Oh you know, the happy hour types. All drunk and yelling “Woooooooo!!!!...” Ruining beach places by wanting them to gay up the menus California style, putting chicken on pizza, pesto on omelettes, driving up prices, bitching about cell signal, internet signal so they can instagram, wanting coke and weed by the pool, riding banana boats... etc etc. Turning some small quiet place into a Miami clone.
And then going home and telling everyone how they adore the “real Mexico”, not the tourist stuff.
Woo hoo girls... annoying as hell.
One other thing; those stops by the Federal Police were always at the business end of an M-16 in the hands of what looked like about a 15 year old kid.
NO THANKS!
That’s ruined also. Nuevo Laredo and Acuna is over with for Texas hunting season.
100%
But we have magical dirt in the USA that will change the violent illegal aliens in to great people.
“Instagram influencer Anjali Ryot (from California) was killed along with German tourist Jennifer Henzold.”
Not doing as much ‘influencing’ these days. LOL!!!
Probably Rosarita, quite a wild town!
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