Had a run-in with cartel in Nuevo Laredo crossing Fridy morning.

elevator wrote:Check the other board for details. It's happened a couple of times in the last two weeks.

elevator wrote:Posted Today, 04:38 PM
Just happened to us on Friday. We had a 3 car caravan, our guide and transporter in a loaded van. my wife in her car and me. We crossed through the city crossing in Laredo. Couple of blocks across a car rushes around me, pulls in front of the van and stops, blocking the street. A guy jumps out of the car and another comes out of a building with shirt on that said staff. He walks to the window and shakes hands with our guide through the window. I thought they knew each other because our guy knows a lot of folks in Laredo. My wife stayed in her car and as I got out of mine our guy comes to me and says we gotta pay $400 US dollars.. I said we just paid at the border. He says no, we have to pay these guys or they will take him and the van....and I can tell he's nervous. I said are they cartel and he says yes, the Cetas I look on the sidewalk next to the van and there is a guy there with an AK 47 raised. Luckily I had cash and paid. They were very polite and one guy had on UGA hat. I said go dogs and he laughed. BigTiki may talk big, but once the gun is up so is the jig. Our guy is very experienced crossing the border it has never happened to him before. Evidently they were watching at the crossing or a border guard tipped them off. Just glad it was only $400.

777 wrote:Posted 30 September 2014 - 12:32 PM
I received a note from friends that drove in last week, Sept.25.. After crossing into Mexico, stoping to pay for importing a US vehicle for 6 months, they drove a short distance further, and a car came up along side of them and pushed them off the road to the right side road. He then took out a gun and asked for their cash. They gave him cash and he drove away. I'd suggest, as a precaution, you might want to drive in the left lane.

hockables wrote:Where did you find your Guide?
Why    did you find your Guide?

I suspect you were Conned....

Try to Avoid anyone Who Offers To Help You... especially the ones Hanging Out Around Immigration

Get A Map

elevator wrote:our guide and transporter in a loaded van

Chapalagringa wrote:Did he say anywhere that he hired a guide at the border???? Where's that, I missed it. Put your reading glasses on folks

elevator wrote:our guide and transporter in a loaded van

Why would you think anyone would make that up?  People hire people or ask for Mexican friends to travel "guide" them all the time.  When we first moved to Mexico, quite often we had Mexican friends that traveled with us and still do to this day.  In fact, I rarely travel alone anywhere, speak rather good gringo Spanish and have lived here over 10 years.  

From what was written on TOB, it's a hit and miss driving through the Laredo crossing right now.  I wouldn't send any friends or family through that border crossing at this time but people will do what they want, I'm a bit of a scaredy cat hehe

hockables wrote:Where did you find your Guide?
Why    did you find your Guide?

I suspect you were Conned....

Try to Avoid anyone Who Offers To Help You... especially the ones Hanging Out Around Immigration

Get A Map

Jim W wrote:I so apologize Pizza lady!  I have never heard of hiring a "Guide and Transporter"  for a convoy of 3 vehicles  From Laredo  into Mexico!

Color me stupid if you will!  

elevator wrote:and to tow my wife's car. He was highly recommended by several people from lakeside and saved us much time and aggravation. He had numerous opportunities to rip us off for a lot more money. We stayed in Matahuala at Las Palmas and met a very nice Mexican gentleman and his son from S Miguel by the pool. I invited them to join us for dinner as it was our anniversary. They were saddened by our story and bought dinner for my wife and I and our mover. That is why I love Mexico. I guess I could have made it plainer who was with us, but some folks here are quick to postulate their wisdom as compared to others. I lived in Mexico 40 years ago and in several other countries. I did not fall off the turnip truck yesterday. Stuff happens and you deal with it.