American tourists were “accidentally” shot during a gun battle between rival Mexican cartels
McALLEN, Texas (Border report) – The Americans injured in a weekend shooting in the northern Mexican border town of Miguel Alemán were accidentally caught in the crossfire of rival drug cartels not far from the South Texas border, a congressman told Border Report.
“We hear that this was a mistake by the TCO (transcriminal organizations) who shot at American tourists. “It happened virtually at the forefront of the ongoing activities between CDN and CDG Metros,” he said. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Democrat who represents Roma in Texas, which is just across the border where the incident occurred.
The Cartel Del Noreste (CDN) drug cartel is the successor cartel to the Los Zetas drug cartel, one of the most ruthless in northern Mexico. according to the US Department of Justice.
The Cartel del Golfo (CDG), or Gulf Cartel, splinters into a Metros faction component. In May, a top CDG Metros leader, Hugo Salinas Cortinas, nicknamed “La Cabra” or “The Goat,” was arrested by Mexican authorities who say he ran a fentanyl drug and migrant smuggling operation in the Mexican cities of Miguel Alemán and Camargo , in the dangerous state of Tamaulipas, according to CBS News.
Mexican ambulances ferried at least eight victims across the Roma International Bridge and to hospitals in South Texas after the shooting early Saturday morning, CBP officials said.
Cuellar said the American victims suffered gunshot wounds to the feet and back and other injuries.
Cuellar also told Border Report that 13 additional victims were taken to Monterrey, Mexico, which is about 100 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.
Mexican media reports that 15 to 20 tourists, including several Americans, were traveling south to the city of San Luis Potosi when they were attacked near the Los Guerra neighborhood of Miguel Alemán. Their caravan of pickups and vans was hit on the highway.
TThe US State Department warns Americans against traveling to the state of Tamaulipas for “crimes and kidnappings.”
In March, four Americans were kidnapped and two killed in Tamaulipas, in the border city of Matamoros, further west on the Gulf of Mexico.
Just last week, on September 4th, The US consulate ordered its employees to shelter in place in Matamoros after fighting between rival drug cartels led to street shootings that left four people dead.
Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.
