KIDNAPPINGS RISE IN NUEVO LEON; FEDERAL FORCES DECREASING

154138 2008-05-15 22:28:00 08MONTERREY232 Consulate Monterrey CONFIDENTIAL VZCZCXRO5618 PP RUEHCD RUEHGD RUEHHO RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHRD RUEHRS RUEHTM DE RUEHMC #0232/01 1362228 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 152228Z MAY 08 FM AMCONSUL MONTERREY TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2910 INFO RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO PRIORITY 3877 RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC RHMFISS/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC RHMFISS/FBI WASHINGTON DC RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHDC RUEHMC/AMCONSUL MONTERREY 8362 C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MONTERREY 000232 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/15/2018 TAGS: PGOV SNAR ASEC CASC ECON KCRM MX SUBJECT: KIDNAPPINGS RISE IN NUEVO LEON; FEDERAL FORCES DECREASING PRESENCE MONTERREY 00000232 001.2 OF 002 CLASSIFIED BY: Bruce Williamson, Consul General, Consulate General of Monterrey, State. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (C) Summary. Kidnapping for ransom has come to Nuevo Leon. Public authorities downplay the problem since few cases are reported to the police, but Post law enforcement officials are aware of at least four cases, with indications of many more. Although top state government officials have urged the public to report kidnappings, no complaint was lodged by the family when the brother in law of the Nuevo Leon Secretary of Public Security was kidnapped, but instead the family privately arranged for his release. Meanwhile, as high profile assassinations have declined, federal forces have substantially reduced their footprint in Nuevo Leon. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Kidnapping businessmen for ransom is a new trend in Nuevo Leon. Previously there had been numerous 'levantones' or kidnapping of people involved in the drug trade, often to make them pay up, but relatively few cases of kidnapping legitimate businessmen for ransom. However, Post law enforcement officials have heard of four cases of kidnappings in the last month, and in one case the victim saw six other hostages in the safe house and another victim saw four other hostages while he was kidnapped. Post officials believe that these cases are merely the tip of the iceberg, and there are likely to be many more cases. So far the kidnappers have not targeted the heads of large corporations, who have too much security and too many political connections, or foreign executives. Instead these kidnapping gangs see Mexican owners of small and medium companies as fair game. Typically four heavily armed members of the kidnapping gang will enter the business in the morning and take their hostage to a safe house for several days while they negotiate with the family. We know of a number of cases where the families paid a ransom of between $50,000 to $700,000 USD. However, as the gangs gain experience, they may take on bigger fish. Post understands that one recent victim had two bodyguards when he was kidnapped. ¶3. (C ) It is unclear if these kidnapping gangs are associated with the drug cartels. Jose de Jesus Arias Rodriguez, Sub-Secretary for International Relations for the Nuevo Leon Attorney General's office, said that they had known that kidnappings might increase as lower-level cartel personnel were being squeezed and were looking look for other sources of income. In contrast, a post law enforcement official thought that the kidnappers were free lance criminals who are still amateurs in this field, although they were gaining experience. ¶4. (C) Very few kidnapping cases are reported to law enforcement authorities, which officials use as an excuse to downplay the problem. Despite a spike of press reports, and cases reported to Post law enforcement agencies, there have been only three public complaints of kidnapping in 2008. Recently Rodrigo Medina, the Nuevo Leon Secretary General (equivalent to chief of staff) called for the public to present complaints of kidnapping cases to the police authorities. However, Medina's plea was undercut by the actions of Aldo Fasci, the Nuevo Leon Secretary of Public Security, in charge of the state police. The press reported that Aldo Fasci's brother-in-law was kidnapped, but Fasci's family in law never filed a public complaint. Indeed, Fasci himself characterizing the kidnapping as a 'personal matter,' and Fasci privately arranged for his brother-in-law to be released. Note. Post law enforcement agencies understand that this kidnapping was a case of mistaken identity, as the drug cartels involved in this case picked up the wrong guy, and that the kidnapping victim was released without payment of ransom. End Note. Meanwhile, several police authorities have downplayed the problem even in private meetings. Rogelio Lozano, the Secretary for Public Security for San Pedro, where all the Consulate families reside, claimed that there had only been five kidnappings in the state and the press coverage was overblown. Similarly, Poloff spoke to Roberto Cavazos, executive director of the Monterrey Chapter of the American Chamber of Commerce who claimed that the press was trumpeting reports of kidnappings just to sell papers. ¶5. (C) Nuevo Leon does not have an effective anti-kidnapping unit, and state officials see kidnapping as a federal problem. Arias Rodriguez explained that they see kidnapping as a federal problem, created by federal operations squeezing the profits of the drug cartels, and the state's role is to provide intelligence to the federal forces, not to act on its own. Post officials concur that Nuevo Leon no longer has an effective anti-kidnapping unit. Nuevo Leon Attorney General Luis Carlos Trevino Berchelmann disclosed in a private meeting with the Consul General that Nuevo Leon was close to cracking one kidnapping ring, but admitted that there would still be many others out there. ¶6. (C) Trevino told the Consul General that as the violence MONTERREY 00000232 002.2 OF 002 has declined many of the TDY federal police have left Nuevo Leon. Now, only the intelligence unit is left. Moreover, there is less cooperation between Nuevo Leon and the remaining federal forces. Trevino said that Nuevo Leon police previously met with their Mexican military counterparts once a week, but now they just meet once per month, and the meetings usually do not cover operational planning. Note. There are still 300 TDY Mexican military forces in Nuevo Leon. On May 11 approximately 30 agents protested that they had not been paid a bonus and that they were issued inadequate food and equipment. Federal and state authorities denied most of the claims, but agreed to pay the previously promised bonus. End Note. ¶7. (C) Post has also heard reports of several recent kidnappings in the neighboring state of San Luis Potosi, including one American citizen. The American citizen apparently was kidnapped after his car broke down, and the kidnappers called his wife and demanded $80,000. The American Citizen Services Section has been in contact with the family, and Post is working on the case. However, in another kidnapping case in San Luis Potosi, the victim's family contacted the state police, who reportedly told them that kidnapping is not their problem. Post cannot confirm this statement. ¶8. (C) Comment. To date the increase in kidnappings has not yet had an impact on the business climate or foreign direct investment. However, if kidnapping proves to be a lucrative business, it is likely that kidnapping gangs will increase unless state and local authorities react effectively. There is no indication that American citizens are targeted for kidnapping, but given the presence of thousands of Americans in Nuevo Leon, there is a clear risk that American citizens, possible dual citizens seen as Mexicans, could be kidnapped. The state police have not responded effectively, nor have they been receptive to USG offers to help, possibly because it is so dangerous to take on these bands of organized criminals. End Comment. WILLIAMSON