FBI: Rio Grande Valley Kidnappings Balloon

(McAllen, Texas) According to the FBI, the number of kidnappings in Hidalgo and Starr Counties quadrupled in 2009 from the year before.

In all, 42 people were abducted from the area during the fiscal year that ended September — 31 more than in 2008 and 15 more than the FBI investigated in Laredo during the height of a 2005 war between two sparring drug cartels.

Much of that increase can be attributed to drug-related activity and a late 2008 kidnapping campaign organized to expand the Zeta’s influence in the Rio Grande Valley, said Jorge Cisneros, spokesman for the bureau’s McAllen office.

“You crack down on the illegal drug smuggling, human trafficking and bulk cash shipments and the (drug cartels) have to get more aggressive in protecting their money,” he said.

Of the 42 kidnapping victims reported, nearly all survived and were later released. However, 16 remain missing, according to bureau statistics.

While 98 percent of the cases involved targets with ties to drug smuggling, the list does include some cases of random attacks, Cisneros said.

I would suggest that the number of abductions will not decrease. It's more likely to increase as the criminals are emboldened.