By “El Huaso” for Borderland Beat
Five smoke shops were attacked by armed men, leaving four shops burned, one man dead, and two employees injured across Tijuana, Baja California on Monday night. The events occurred almost simultaneously, a coordinated attempt by organized crime to influence local businesses.
 |
| Image: Zeta Tijuana |
Three of the five businesses are confirmed to belong to the “Sunset Smoke Shop” brand, a chain that sells vape pens, bongs, and other marijuana paraphernalia. The first of the coordinated attacks occurred around 9:00 PM in colonia Independencia of central Tijuana, according to local reports. Shortly after, police were called to two more scenes of arson, in colonia Ampliación Guaycua and 3ra Etapa of Río Tijuana.
At the Sunset Smoke Shop in 3ra Etapa, witnesses reported that the attackers were two young men wearing masks. They entered the shop carrying a gallon of gasoline and began yelling at the workers, before shooting the employees and leaving the container of gasoline. The business was not burned.
Local Municipal Police responded to the reports, and captured three suspects after a car chase. The suspects initially fled in a stolen Chevy Trail Blazer, before switching to a Ford Escape. They lost control, crashed, and were arrested. Zeta Tijuana noted that the Escape’s interior smelled of gasoline and contained other evidence relevant to the burnings.
Local witnesses also claim suspects fled in a 2010 Honda Accord, either black or white. This vehicle and suspects were not found by police.
 |
| Products on Sunset Smoke Shop’s website. |
It is so far unclear which criminal group was behind these attacks, or the reason for them. Often, businesses are targeted by criminals to pressure them to pay extortion rents. Other times, criminals want to force the business to sell their product, or allow their drug dealers on site. Businesses in the legal gray area, such as nightclubs and smoke shops, can find themselves especially in the view of organized crime.