Mexican authorities are investigating the nonviolent kidnapping of as many as 27 employees from a call center in Cancun.
The mass kidnapping took place in the early hours of Wednesday when a group of men riding in two vans pulled up to a home that was converted into a call center in the Benito Juarez Municipality. According to information released by the Quintana Roo Attorney General’s Office, the suspects went inside the center and began taking employees one-by-one, loading them into the vans before leaving with 27 in all. Authorities also reported the theft of three vehicles and a motorcycle.
Cancun police set off a large-scale manhunt, however, no rescues are reported yet.
The top security official in Cancun, Alberto Capella, claimed the suspects did not brandish any weapons. Local authorities are also reporting the number of victims is 22–as opposed to state authorities’ claim of 27.
The call center reportedly sold timeshare vacation plans. One of the police theories suggests a dispute between the owners of the business.
Breitbart News regularly reports that Cancun is seeing a dramatic rise in violence as rival cartels fight for control of the local drug distribution market and smuggling routes into southern Mexico from Central America.
UPDATE
The Quintana Roo Public Security Secretary Alberto Capella confirmed the rescue of 25 kidnapping victims. Three suspects are currently detained in connection with the case.
Authorities revealed the shift at the call center was made up of 27 employees, causing the initial confusion on the victim count. Two employees were reportedly absent from work at the time.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Border / Cartel Chronicles. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Border / Cartel Chronicles. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.
Editor’s note: the original version of this article cited the first police report of 27 kidnapping victims.
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