‘I Will Never Return to Mexico’

And in a startling twist, kidnappers have begun to seize their victims inside the U.S. and take them to Mexico. "Any kidnapping anywhere is one too many," suggests Slotter, "but when American residents are kidnapped inside our own country and taken to another country to be tortured and even killed, that is totally unacceptable." [Mexican authorities have sent troops into the streets in the midst of a major crackdown on gang violence and are also cooperating with U.S. law enforcement in trying to solve the kidnapping cases.] The FBI works cross-border kidnappings in coordination with the Baja California Anti-Kidnaping Group. Because the victims are often held in Mexico, all operational aspects of the investigation are coordinated and conducted through the Baja California Anti-Kidnaping Group. "This coordination has contributed to the successful resolution of a number kidnaping cases," says FBI spokesman Darrell Foxworth tells NEWSWEEK.

As a result of the increase in violent crime, American officials are urging caution. Two weeks ago, the U.S. consulate in Tijuana issued a travel advisory warning tourists to be "extra careful" because of the recent increase in violence. And last week authorities at San Diego State University, the largest college in the area, cautioned students to "consider the recent violence" before traveling south for spring break.

The kidnappers apparently select victims who have money or have families with enough money to pay hefty ransoms. Most have business or family ties to Mexico. "They are not picked randomly," says Slotter ominously. They are preselected." Slotter isn't sure how sophisticated the kidnappers' surveillance methods are or if they are actually getting their hands on financial records of their would-be captives. Roberto says he drove a new truck with California plates across the border to a "not so well off" part of Tijuana to visit family members. That may have been all the information kidnappers needed.

Kidnappings in Mexico have historically been fallout of drug trafficking or payback for something that went bad. But Slotter says that's changing. "The crime cells in Tijuana have realized kidnapping is profitable," says Slotter. "We believe it's just a couple of groups perpetrating these crimes."

The cross-border communication between kidnappers and the victims' families gives the FBI its jurisdiction. But the bureau still needs authorization from Mexican authorities before carrying out an operation across the border, and he says law enforcement from both sides of the border is cooperating. "The two full-time border liaisons in our office are working very closely with Mexican authorities to apprehend and prosecute these people," says Slotter, who admits that prosecution is difficult. The bureau has worked U.S. kidnappings throughout its history, he notes, and there is typically a high degree of confidence that the victim(s) will be returned safely and the kidnapper(s) will be apprehended. But when it happens across the border, the cases become much more challenging.

"Our primary goal in these cases is to work with families to return the victims safely from Mexico, to get the ransom paid and work on negotiations," says Slotter, who remains hopeful that law enforcement can catch the kidnappers. "I'm optimistic that we can find them. It may take more time than a typical kidnapping case, but I have faith that we are going to be successful."