"Morogris" for Borderland Beat
 |
| These two US citizens are residents of Houston, Texas |
Two brothers who were traveling from Houston, Texas, to San Luis Potosí to visit their father disappeared Sunday after crossing the international border crossing in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas.
Upon losing contact with them, relatives tracked their cell phones and located them in Sabinas Hidalgo, Nuevo Leon, but neither they nor their vehicle, a white Silverado 1500 pickup truck with Texas license plates, have been located. The Attorney General's Office has already issued a search alert.
Authorities presume that the brothers, identified as Víctor and Luis Felipe Aguayo Osorio, aged 48 and 28, respectively, disappeared in Tamaulipas. A police source mentioned that the men were traveling from Houston, Texas, to Villa Ramos, in San Luis Potosí, because their father was ill.
The source explained that at 1:45 a.m. of Sunday, May 16, Luis and Víctor contacted their relatives to let them know that they had just crossed the border bridge of Nuevo Laredo. Near dawn, the source said, the relatives tried to contact them to let them know that their father had already died, but neither Luis or Víctor responded to the call.
The family continued to send text messages and calls, but after failing to get a response, they tracked their cell phones. The GPS of the phones revealed a location near a ranch in Sabinas Hidalgo. However, the authorities presume that the disappearance occurred in Tamaulipas, where similar events have been reported in recent months.
They said that Luis has the words "Aguayo" and "Violeta" tattooed on his right arm, and Victor lacks incisor teeth.
Borderland Beat Analysis
This case brings Nuevo Laredo back to spotlight, especially given the fact that several US citizens have gone missing in the area this year.
In mid-March, three women from Laredo, Texas, disappeared after crossing to Nuevo Laredo for a doctor's appointment. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) believes they were kidnapped.
The following month, a man from Arkansas, disappeared near Nuevo Laredo after visiting his girlfriend in Monterrey. His whereabouts are also unknown.
Nuevo Laredo is under the control of the Northeast Cartel (Cartel del Noreste, CDN), a splintered group of the old Zetas cartel. It is rival to the Gulf Cartel (Cartel del Golfo, CDG), based east of Nuevo Laredo all the way to Matamoros.
 |
| Full route the brothers intended to take from Houston (A) to Nuevo Laredo (B) to San Luis Potosi (C), assuming they took the toll road south of Nuevo Laredo to Monterrey. In Nuevo Laredo, drivers have to drive for about 20 minutes south before reaching the toll booth. Authorities advise that drivers avoid driving in that part of the highway before the toll road at night. |
In the past, the CDN has targeted American drivers in Nuevo Laredo by forcing them to pay money or "cartel tax" (cuota). Most of these incident happened near Luis Donaldo Colosio Avenue, which connects Nuevo Laredo with the federal highway leading to Monterrey.
A source consulted by Borderland Beat confirmed that the cartel has several outlooks posted across the highway that notify other cartel members of potential targets driving through. Borderland Beat published a story with videos showing how the CDN sets up blockades to extort drivers.
It is unknown if the brothers took the Mexican Federal Highway 85D, a toll highway (autopista) that connects Nuevo Laredo to Monterrey before leading to other highways that branch off to San Luis Potosi.
There is another route the brothers could have taken that is far more dangerous: the freeway (libre) roads from Nuevo Laredo to Monterrey. Libre roads are usually two-lane roads and tend to be much older and less sophisticated than toll highways. Since libre roads generally connect to more towns and villages, there is more cartel activity in these roads.
Toll roads in Mexico are generally considered safer than non-toll ones.
Sources: El Norte; Epocaviolenta; Borderland Beat Archives
Texas plates, 1500 pickup truck traveling in Nuevo Laredo....not surprising
ReplyDeleteExactly! Silverado truck might as well paint it with bullseye. A beat up civic will get you to your destination and less problem.
DeleteFrim Houston?..might as well be called residents of Mexico.
ReplyDeleteCrossed at 1:45 am was the mistake everyone knows not to cross that shithole border at night. But it was an emergency for them trying to get to their town to see their father quick, tough spot to be in i feel bad for the family.
ReplyDeleteThey might as well have painted targets on them.
DeleteSunset usually takes a different path of vigilance and precautions. Driving after sunset in many areas is a no-no.
DeleteMy grandfather always stated that people who run at night are usually up to no good.
could have flown there
Delete11:26 pm some paisanos are not big into flying or they want to take their trucks because its cheaper to drive especially if they live in texas where its nearby. nowadays you are better off flying because if you end up paying extortion fees to the rats & pigs that is the corrupt authorities or sicarios that stop on the roads, you will end up paying a bit more on your driving trip to mex.
DeleteJust letting everyone who travels to Monterrey through McAllen...in Reynosa there is a group of individuals purposely crashing into Texas plates vehicles and later forcing you to pay for the damages.. they quickly pull cellphones and call a "licenciado" individual and they intimidate you to pay 500 dollars or more. Two families I know already suffered the same extortion.
ReplyDeleteBe alert when driving in Reynosa, its getting like nuevo laredo already.
La maña así le hace también cuando les debes dinero a ellos o su gente. Van y te chocan cuando andas en la calle. Y solo te dicen que ya le bajes de huevos y que les pagues alv. A la siguiente ya te rompen.
DeleteA piece of advice! Travel in a ok car! The shitier the better! And dont bring any clothes or anything that stands out! And youll be ok! The flashier you are the better chances you have to get picked up either by cartel or by cops it dont matter they both the same! Some times they shoot and ask questions latter! Thats just the way it is in mexico! It always has been but its a little worse right now
ReplyDeleteA piece of advice! Stop overusing exclamation marks!!!!!
Delete5:39 yes he should be using periods instead, some only attended 4 grade, and had to go to the fields and help Dad cut down corn, grapes. That reminds me of the locked caps kid, don't know when no to use the capitals.
Delete5:39 your favorite victim used one exclamation point, you used 5, hear your own advice.
Deleteat 10:38 pm, although that's good advice that does not mean they'll be ok. Mexico is dangerous period. You can try to blend in but at the end of the day there's a high risk of losing your life or loved ones.
DeleteAs a once frequent visitor to mex, I sure would love to visit again, but those days are gone. And don't give me that shit that "oh it's fine if you dont go out at night or stay in the tourist zone". Negative señor. Satan has taken the helm of this formerly-wonderful nation.
ReplyDeleteFriends and family visit several times a year with extended stays and never had a problem in the last 30 years.
DeleteLucky
Delete11:57- He said "Don't give me any of that shit" and here you are. Lol
DeleteAt 11:57, until they do.
Delete8:55am right they must like testing their luck.
Deletei have friends and family that have gone recently and they have all been fucked by the corrupt federals and others by sicarios asking for money, 500 dollars or more by nuevo laredo. Shits ridiculous.
Why is 1157 in deniel all over kidnapping, killings, doesn't this article give a big fat hint, that's is not safe, don't you worry Sol Dr. is out there sniffing for those bodies, one he gets a hold, make sure to open up that article.
DeleteAbsolutely right. Evil has found a permanent home to thrive in Mexico.
DeleteJust don't go. To Dangerous
ReplyDeleteThe missing man visiting his girlfriend was from Arkansas
ReplyDeleteFixed. Thank you. 🤦🏻♂️
DeleteI knew some of the family and knew their dad and their first uncle, Fren... the Aguayo brothers’ dad grew up with my dad and uncle in Villa de Ramos SLP. This is sad and unbelievable, they were just hoping to see their dad. 🙏🙏
ReplyDeleteDon't go to Mexico, period!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteMy family knows the Aguayo brothers. My dad grew up with their dad and uncle in Villa de Ramos SLP. 🙏
ReplyDelete