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MEXICO
Mexico
Mexico's kidnapping problem has developed a billion-dollar-a-year private
security industry, which provides rich families, large corporations and
businesses with bodyguards, armored cars, prevention training even kidnap
negotiators.
A kidnapping occurs every six hours on average. Mexico is now second only to
war-torn Colombia in the number of annual kidnappings. While few victims are
killed, few perpetrators in this thriving multimillion-dollar industry are ever
caught.
More common "express kidnap" in which a victim is briefly abducted,
forced to withdraw money from ATMs, and then released, this is considered
violent robbery under Mexican law. Government statistics indicate there are more
than 10 express kidnaps a day here or about 4,000 a year.
Another new trend is the "virtual kidnap" gangs go for young
professionals driving expensive cars, and usually negotiate their ransoms and
releases within about 36 hours.
Though kidnap victims in the US are more likely to be killed, Mexico's highly
organized kidnap gangs usually threaten to injure their victims if families
don't raise ransoms quickly. Some are known for sending body parts, often a
finger or an ear, to show they're serious.
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