Three More US Citizens Go Missing Near Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas

"Morogris" for Borderland Beat

The border city of Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, is again on the international spotlight after a mother and her two children, all US citizens, went missing while driving through a rural highway.

Investigators say that the family was in Sabinas Hidalgo, Nuevo Leon, visiting family. When they drove back to Laredo, Texas on Sunday, they disappeared on the highway leading to Nuevo Laredo. The woman was driving a yellow 2014 Chevrolet Sonic with Texas license plates. Authorities confirmed that the vehicle never made it across the US-Mexico border.

According to official figures, over 20 people have gone missing this year while driving from Nuevo Laredo to Monterrey. Other figures from civil organizations say that the number could be up to 50, with 15 of them occurring this past May.

At least 6 US citizens have gone missing in or near Nuevo Laredo this year, making it one of the most dangerous places for US citizens on Mexican soil.

In this most recent case, the Nuevo León Attorney General's Office issued a search report for the disappearance of Gladys Cristina Pérez Sánchez, 39, and her children Juan Carlos González, 16, and Michelle Cristina Durán, 9, respectively.

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.

In late May, two more US citizens from Houston, Texas, disappeared after they crossed the border into Nuevo Laredo. They were heading to San Luis Potosi to visit a sick relative. They never made it to their destination.

Full route the family intended to take from Sabinas Hidalgo (B) to Laredo (A). Authorities advise that drivers avoid driving in this part of Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas at night.

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.

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 is the US family of three made it to the Mexican Federal Highway 85D, a toll highway (autopista) that connects Sabinas Hidalgo to Nuevo Laredo. The kidnapping could have occurred on the non-toll (libre) road that connects with the federal highway.

Sources: Info7; Eje Central; El Sol de Mexico; La Silla Rota (1); (2)