Mexico drug war violence

According to the US Department of State, the Mexican government has been engaged in an extensive effort to counter Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) which engage in narcotics trafficking and other unlawful activities throughout Mexico. The TCOs, themselves, are engaged in a violent struggle to control drug-trafficking routes and other criminal activity. As a result, crime and violence are serious problems, including homicide, gun battles, kidnapping, carjacking and highway robbery.

It should be noted that resort areas and tourist destinations in Mexico generally do not see the levels of drug-related violence and crime that are reported in the border region and in areas along major trafficking routes. In fact, millions of US citizens safely visit Mexico each year for study, tourism and business, including more than 150,000 who cross the border every day.

The Mexican government reported 12,903 narcotics-related homicides in the first nine months of 2011 alone. Most of those killed in narcotics-related violence have been members of TCOs. The number of US citizens reported murdered in Mexico increased from 35 in 2007 to 120 in 2011.

Carjacking and highway robbery are serious problems in the northern border region. Most victims who complied with carjackers at checkpoints were not harmed. Carjackers’ techniques include running vehicles off the road. A variety of vehicles have been targeted but particularly newer and larger vehicles, especially dark-colored SUVs. Incidents have occurred most frequently at night and on isolated roads. Travelers should drive between cities in daylight, avoid isolated roads and use toll roads when possible.

TCOs use stolen cars and trucks to create roadblocks on major thoroughfares, preventing the military and police from responding to criminal activity.

The numbers of kidnappings and disappearances throughout Mexico have been rising. Local police have been implicated in some of these incidents.