“Socalj” for Borderland Beat
Last week, members of the Gulf Cartel (CDG) allegedly kidnapped 5 American tourists who were traveling through Mexico. Mexican authorities rescued the tourists, and over the weekend they recovered the victim’s vehicles, arresting several members believed to be part of the local cell of the Gulf Cartel.
The recovered vehicles included a blue Lamborghini Urus, a Jeep JL Wrangler, and Jeep Cherokee. The rescued hostages are originally from the Dominican Republic and are naturalized US citizens having left Florida to travel to Veracruz, Mexico.
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| Mexican authorities speak with one of the rescued tourists. |
Kidnapping
The kidnapping occurred on Thursday, June 1, 2023, in the city of Soto de La Marina, in Tamaulipas, where, according to reports, a checkpoint was established at one of the city’s entrances. Based on the area and those later arrested, it was likely to have been set up by members of the Gulf Cartel.
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The five victims are identified as Joel Rodríguez, Brian Lazala, Ramón Méndez, Bonifacio Sánchez, and Carlos Núñez, all originally from the Dominican Republic but residing in the United States.
On Friday morning, authorities detected a convoy of gunmen heading to Soto de La Marina through the surveillance camera network in the area. The Tamaulipas Attorney General’s Office (FGJE) traveled to Soto La Marina to investigate.
Rescue
“After reporting C4, suspicious vehicles in #SotoLaMarina, and after repelling an attack, Police Investigators from the #FGJT and State Guards this morning secured 4 weapons and rescued a person reported as missing. Investigations continue.” The Tamaulipas Secretary of Security reported.
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Four weapons, one with an attached grenade launcher, and bulletproof vests were found as well as one of the disappeared tourists.
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Hours later, the Tamaulipas Prosecutor’s Office confirmed the release of the other four men, who, according to reports, are in good health. They had been left on the side of the highway connecting Soto La Marina to Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas.
Lamborghini Recovery & Arrest
On Saturday, June 3, 2023, FGJE investigators located one of the vehicles in which the tourists were traveling, the blue Lamborghini Urus, in the border city of Matamoros.
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