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.