OJO (That means look out in Spanish)

[ozzy 0]

just a few reasons not to go to a corrupted 3rd world country

[sportbiker929 0]

those guys are good friends with a pilot I fly with. Scary stuff!

[2Wheels 0]

http://elvigia.net/noticias/?seccion=generales&id=39550

This story is from an Ensenada Newspaper. The translation is mine.

Assaults Reappear on the “Scenic Road”

11-20-2007

Ensenada, B.C. – Residents of this port and of the Municipality of Tijuana have been targets of a group of criminals who commit violent robberies on sections of the Ensenada-Tijuana scenic road.

One victim of this type of robbery related that at least three subjects who travel in a dark sedan are involved.

A young resident of Tijuana commented that in his case, the criminals threw a heavy object at his vehicle and broke his windshield.

I suppose, he said, that this is how they force drivers to stop and then they relieve them of their belongings.

He commented that the assault against him occurred in Cantamar, but thanks to his decision to continue with a broken windshield, he managed to get to the toll booth in San Miguel to ask for help.

He was followed by his assailants all the way to the toll booth, but they disappeared before he arrived.

To his surprise, the personnel at the toll booth told him that "at least he got away, lucky there weren’t others."

The victim commented that the employees told him that after 2100 hours it was difficult to get help from Federal Highway Patrol since they stop patrolling exactly at that hour.

The young man alerted whomever drives that road to take precautions and to avoid stopping if anything similar happens to them because the assaults have been recurring.

[2Wheels 0]

Tecate carjacking. It's third-hand info to me, so I guess that makes it rumor.

This is from an email I received on 11-16. The guy who sent me the email hasn't posted it anywhere. I guess he wants to remain anonymous.

Hi guys, I know I was the one that started the conversation about Laguna Hansen. But I need to let you know what I found out today coupled with what has and has not been reported in the news regarding Mexico. Just yesterday one of my students parents (who happens to be Mexican) was car jacked in Tacate. Well I tell myself it’s just an isolated incident, but as I asked her what happened today it sounded more and more like what has been taking place in TJ and further south. Cars with fake lights pulling people over, putting guns to their heads, threatening to kill them and taking everything but their life. I have been traveling in Baja since I was 6 months old and going on solo trips down to central Baja starting at the age of 18 for weeks at a time. What’s going on now is starting to make me reconsider going down this Sunday. I still want to ride, heck I think the best ride I have ever done was the section that we where going to do this Sunday. Is it worth it? I don’t know I just want to let you know how I was feeling. Is there an alternative to this ride any suggestions?

[2Wheels 0]

http://www.elvigia.net/noticias/?seccion=g...es&id=40524

Navy is patrolling the toll road. No more carjackings reported. Translation coming when I get around to it.

Puesto móvil de la Armada de México

Inhiben asaltos en la “Escénica”

No se reportan delitos desde que elementos de la 2da. Región Naval realizan patrullajes por la carretera de cuota Tijuana-Ensenada

Por César Córdova y Lorena Lamas/EL VIGIA

Fortalecen vigilancia en la autopista.

Por El Vigía

2008-01-08 00:00:00

Ensenada, B.C. - A dos meses de que la Armada de México estableció un puesto de control y vigilancia en la carretera escénica Tijuana-Ensenada, el Comandante de la Segunda Región Naval, aseguró que no se han efectuados asaltos en la vialidad, y que esos supuestos ataques pueden obedecer a una campaña de desprestigio contra la ciudad.

Alberto Castro Rosas, indicó que en el tiempo que elementos de la Armada de México han efectuado patrullajes por la autopista, el Ministerio Público no ha recibido denuncias por robos ocurridos en el tramo de cuota.

“Posiblemente haya intentos, pero el Ministerio Público no ha recibido ninguna denuncia formal por robo en la autopista”, insistió.

El Vicealmirante agregó que los rumores de asaltos en la carretera pueden tener su origen en una campaña de desprestigio contra Ensenada con la finalidad de evitar el arribo de turistas al puerto.

El operativo de vigilancia implementado por la Armada de México se activo desde noviembre pasado, días después del desplome de un helicóptero que sobrevolaba la carrera Baja 1000 y el robo del cadáver de la morgue local, ésto con el objetivo de brindar seguridad a las personas que ingresan a la mancha urbana.

Desde esa fecha se instaló un puesto móvil de control y vigilancia en la caseta de San Miguel, y se han efectuado patrullajes para evitar asaltos y robos sobre la cinta asfáltica.

“Establecimos un puesto con la instrucción de que sea móvil y se traslade por la autopista desde La Salina a San Miguel, en un intento de disuadir y preservar la seguridad, pues hay declaraciones de intento de asaltos en la autopista”, señaló.

Alberto Castro Rosas informó lo anterior durante un desayuno que ofreció la Segunda Región Naval a periodistas locales.

La Misión

Voceros de la Secretaría de Seguridad Pública Municipal (SSPM), manifestaron que reportes policíacos de la Delegación Municipal de La Misión, descartan robos efectuados en la carretera escénica.

PFP

Fuentes oficiales de la Policía Federal Preventiva (PFP) -División Caminos-, aseguraron que no existen registros de asaltos en la carretera escénica, y que no hay denuncias ante el Ministerio Público por este ilícito.

Por lo anterior, descartaron exista riesgo de circular por dicha vialidad, ya que no tienen conocimiento de asaltos cometidos por personas que realizan supuestas reparaciones en la vialidad, como se difundió por Internet a través de correos anónimos.

Bajo circulación

La carretera escénica Tijuana-Ensenada registró en 2007 un déficit de 75 mil vehículos menos en comparación con 2006, por lo que tomarán acciones preventivas para contrarrestar el problema de inseguridad en la artería, informó Oscar Escobedo Carignan.

El titular de la Secretaría de Turismo del Estado (Secture), estimó que el año pasado los hoteles y moteles de la localidad también cerraron con porcentaje de 4.2 puntos menos de lo que se tenía previsto.

Aseguró que en los últimos dos meses no se han registrado incidentes en la autopista escénica hasta Playas de Rosarito, debido a que se implementó un operativo de seguridad desde la garita de San Isidro, California, a la caseta de cobro.

Además, se reforzó el alumbrado público, hay mayor vigilancia de la Policía Federal Preventiva (PFP) y duplicaron el número de unidades de los Ángeles Verdes.

El funcionario estimó que hasta noviembre de 2007 se recibían 11 denuncias diarias de turistas, relacionadas con diversos abusos de autoridad por parte de los elementos de seguridad pública, a diferencia de diciembre en el que se registraron sólo 11 denuncias en el mes.

Aclaró que el problema de la seguridad prevalece principalmente en la zona de Playas de Rosarito a Ensenada, por lo que se llevará a cabo una sesión entre hoteleros e inmobiliarios, con el propósito de tomar otras medidas de prevención.

Se comprometió a convocar a funcionarios de Caminos y Puentes Federales (Capufe), para exigirles el apoyo en materia de infraestructura, señalización, blindar accesos a la escénica y mantenimiento de la carretera.

[Vinny 0]

I am pissed off at this whole situation, but also very thankfull to have not been a victim in one of these storys. I went down the day after the guy and his friends got carjacked in early Sept. I drove down the same way in my truck with all my camping gear,my bike, 2 surfboards, a wad of cash, and not to mention my wife. I drove through TJ, I camped Between Quatro Casas and Shipwreck. I know now that I was in all the wrong places but I guess I was lucky.

Actually, the coastal areas around Camalu and Colonet have been known for crime for many years, and the recent proliferation of Meth labs in the area has made it worse. If you want to camp in that area I would suggest camping right at Quatro Casas with all the other gringos. I know it sucks, but for that area, its the safest thing to do.

Oftentimes in Baja, when you think you are in the middle of nowhere your location might be easily seen and/or accessed by locals or bad guys looking to jack up some gringos, so use caution. There are plenty of areas on the west coast where you actually are in the MOFN, but those would be south of El Rosario. When it takes you hours by 4X4 or a bike to get to a place I would venture to say that you are relatively safe. However, if you are only walking distance from any community or the highway (most notably the west coast from San Quintin to TJ) there is more danger. If you can speak some Spanish its a good idea to talk to some locals where you are to get an idea of the dangers if there are any. Its also a good idea to have some situational awareness when camping anywhere, including here at home.

[OUTERLIMITS 0]

Tecate carjacking. It's third-hand info to me, so I guess that makes it rumor.

This is from an email I received on 11-16. The guy who sent me the email hasn't posted it anywhere. I guess he wants to remain anonymous.

Hi guys, I know I was the one that started the conversation about Laguna Hansen. But I need to let you know what I found out today coupled with what has and has not been reported in the news regarding Mexico. Just yesterday one of my students parents (who happens to be Mexican) was car jacked in Tacate. Well I tell myself it’s just an isolated incident, but as I asked her what happened today it sounded more and more like what has been taking place in TJ and further south. Cars with fake lights pulling people over, putting guns to their heads, threatening to kill them and taking everything but their life. I have been traveling in Baja since I was 6 months old and going on solo trips down to central Baja starting at the age of 18 for weeks at a time. What’s going on now is starting to make me reconsider going down this Sunday. I still want to ride, heck I think the best ride I have ever done was the section that we where going to do this Sunday. Is it worth it? I don’t know I just want to let you know how I was feeling. Is there an alternative to this ride any suggestions?

I was really hoping not to hear this same thing about Tecate that has been happening elsewhere. This really enforces the idea that these carjackings are connected to employees at the Mexican border who may be actually tipping off the carjackers. I would still go down and not think too much of it if on bike, but driving a car across to me is entirely different. Of course the same thing can happen to a biker, but I think to a thief it is a lot less attractive and (hopefully) not worthwhile.

Guys, this is going to get better. I'm hearing that businesses in the Rosarito and Puerto Nuevo areas are already complaining that business has dropped off some 80% in places. That alone will bring change and should happen quickly.

[2Wheels 0]

I was really hoping not to hear this same thing about Tecate that has been happening elsewhere. This really enforces the idea that these carjackings are connected to employees at the Mexican border who may be actually tipping off the carjackers. I would still go down and not think too much of it if on bike, but driving a car across to me is entirely different. Of course the same thing can happen to a biker, but I think to a thief it is a lot less attractive and (hopefully) not worthwhile.

Guys, this is going to get better. I'm hearing that businesses in the Rosarito and Puerto Nuevo areas are already complaining that business has dropped off some 80% in places. That alone will bring change and should happen quickly.

I went back and edited post #1 to put in a timeline. Almost all of the carjackings were around the time of the Baja 1000 and late at night or early AM. Turns out that the Mexican Federal Highway Patrol isn't out and about after 9:00 PM.

It seems strange that they'd have the navy patrol the toll road to Ensenada. I wonder if it means they don't trust the army.

[RogerTOWM 0]

It seems strange that they'd have the navy patrol the toll road to Ensenada. I wonder if it means they don't trust the army.

I thought Ensenada was a port city with a Navy base. They might use them because they are nearer then the Army. Who knows?

[2Wheels 0]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ (link is broken)

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,351409,00.html

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wo...0,4775251.story

Gang robs US family of plane in Mexico

The Associated Press

Tuesday, April 15, 2008; 8:40 PM

LOS CABOS, Mexico -- Gunmen held up a family of U.S. tourists in Mexico on Tuesday and made off with their small plane, police said.

The robbers attacked the plane as the American couple and their two daughters, ages 6 and 8, were about to take off from a hotel airstrip in the Baja California beach town of Mulege.

Detective Juan Carlos de Jesus Jimenez said the thieves pulled a car in front of the six-seat Cessna Stationair, knocked out one of its windows and forced the tourists out at gunpoint. They then set fire to the car and flew off in the plane.

U.S. officials said they had heard reports about the incident but had not yet been in contact with the victims. The plane's identification number matched a craft registered to a company in Boise, Idaho.

Small aircraft are commonly used by Mexican drug cartels to smuggle narcotics.

Also see timeline on post #1

[2Wheels 0]

Four Americans found dead near Rosarito

Correction: 1 American woman and 3 Mexicans found dead near Rosarito. Originally, Mexican authorities thought the 3 Mexicans were African-Americans since their skin had turned black after decomposing for a few days.

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNew...=22&sp=true

Four Americans die in drug-smuggling Mexican area

By Lizbeth Diaz

ROSARITO, Mexico (Reuters) - Four people believed to be Americans were shot in the head and dumped in a notorious drug-smuggling area in northern Mexico near the California border, Mexican police said on Monday.

Police in the beach town of Rosarito, across the border from San Diego, said they discovered the bodies of three men and a woman on Sunday in an abandoned car in a remote patch of scrubland near the Pacific coast.

Police concluded the victims were U.S. citizens because the vehicle had California license plates, the men appeared to be black, the woman was white and a U.S. driver's license was found in the car, the spokesman said.

Murders have jumped in Mexico this year, the bulk of them linked to a war between rival drug cartels and security forces that has killed some 1,300 people across Mexico since January. But it is unusual for foreigners to be the victims.

"The bodies had been there for at least a week. They were spotted by local people out hunting," a municipal police spokesman said.

The area where the bodies were found is one of many along the border that gangs use to smuggle marijuana and cocaine into the United States.

In Chihuahua state, which borders Texas, gunmen killed senior police officer Jose Martinez as he left his home in the city of Parral on Monday morning, the state attorney general's office said.

Martinez was head of criminal investigations for southern Chihuahua.

"IT'S A WAR"

President Felipe Calderon, who sent out thousands of troops and federal police to battle drug cartels when he took power in December 2006, said on Monday the escalation in violence was reason to press on.

"It's a serious fight, it's a war, and it means assuming the consequences," he told a news conference following talks with visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"There is no way the Mexican government will give up this fight. Our pledge and decision is to carry on until we rescue Mexico fully from a situation of abuse and crime," he said.

Drug violence killed more than 2,500 people in Mexico last year. Grisly slayings in 2008 include the beheading this month of a man whose head was dumped on top of a car in the northern city of Monterrey.

Half a dozen high-ranking police officers have been killed this month alone.

Violence has spilled over from the rough city of Tijuana into once-quiet Rosarito and its outlying areas as gangs fight over smuggling routes into California.

(Reporting by Lizbeth Diaz in Rosarito, Miguel Angel Gutierrez in Mexico City and Robin Emmott in Monterrey; Writing by Catherine Bremer, editing by Philip Barbara)

05-20-2008 EDIT

This quote is from the San Diego Union Tribune

The article is basically the same as the Reuters article except that it quotes Rafael Gonzalez Cervantes of the Baja California Attorney General's Office .

Link: http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20...s_1m20shot.html

One of the men had an arrest record in San Diego County and had been deported to Mexico three times, Gonzalez said.

Craig's purse was found nearby with her passport, her driver's license and a hypodermic needle, which led Mexican authorities to believe she was not kidnapped.

How did a Mexican official get access to U.S. criminal and immigration records? It'll be interesting to see what other reports come out of this.

05-20-08 EDIT #2

From NBCSanDiego.com

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/16343954/detail.html

SAN DIEGO -- A vehicle found at the scene where four people -- including a La Mesa woman -- were shot to death south of the border belonged to a man reported missing in February, NBC 7/39 reported.

The registered owner of the 1999 dark green Cadillac STS sedan found at the crime scene was registered to Daniel LaPorte, 27, of Point Loma. According to the San Diego Police Department, he was reported missing in late February. Authorities said he was last seen in Rosarito on Feb. 22.

...

LaPorte was not one of the victims and his whereabouts are still unknown. Anyone with information on him is asked to call police at 619-531-2390.

From the same article on nbcsandiego.com

According to district attorney's office in Rosarito, Craig had been previously arrested in Mexico for carrying a weapon and she was imprisoned for nearly a year in a Tijuana.

Craig and the three other men had all been shot in the head, assistant Baja California state prosecutor Rafael Gonzalez said. The three men who were killed were Mexican nationals and they all had criminal records, officials said.

One of the men, Antonio Castaneda, was deported at least three times since the year 2000 and was accused of a felony in the U.S. According to Rosarito officials, Juan Jose Olivares, who was also executed, was arrested in Santa Ana for armed robbery and for selling firearms.

How did a Rosarito official get access to U.S. criminal and immigration records?

05-21-2008 EDIT

Here's an article from El Mexicano Online

http://www.el-mexicano.com.mx/nota.aspx?id...amp;esSecc=true

The article has basically the same info that U.S. sources are reporting. What's interesting is the commentary from the Mexican readers.

pueblo jodido “the people are screwed” wrote:

"tiene rezon Gerardo, como no eran gringos, no pasa nada, todo esta bien, y jodanse las familias mexicanas, pudieron haber sido delincuentes y deber drogas, pero un asesinato se debe castigar, sea mexicano, gringo, o lo que seas, y no querer tapar todo conque fue el narco, porque unavez que las autoridades dicen eso ya te jodiste, no paso nada, nadie sabe y nadie supo., y ya me enoje , ya me voy"

Translation:

Gerardo is right. Since they weren't gringos, nothing happened, everything is well, and screw the Mexican families. They might have been criminals and involved in drug dealing. But a murder is a murder and should be punished (no matter who the victim was). It shouldn't be covered up with "It was drug dealers" because once the authorities say that, you're screwed. Nothing happened. Nobody knows. Nobody found out. Now I'm angry. I'm outa here.

QueDiosnosProteja “May God Protect Us” wrote:

"Soy americana, soy mexicana si mis restos son encontrados me pondran una jeringa junto a mi pasaporte para decir que tengo lazos con narcos y despues me liquidan con tiro de gracia para colgar el delito al narco incontrolado de Tijuana??Esta mujer era mexico-americana madre, hija y hermana.Mi mas sentido pesame a su familia."

Translation:

I’m an American woman, I’m a Mexican woman. If my remains are found, they’ll plant a syringe next to my passport in order to say I have ties to drug dealers and then dismiss me as a drug addict in order to blame the crime on the uncontrolled Tijuana drug smugglers? This woman was a Mexican-American mother, daughter, and sister. My heartfelt condolences to her family.

05-22-2008 EDIT

So Mexicans following this story don't believe the authorities in their own country. They think the authorities might be making up the part about the drug connection so as not to scare away anymore tourists.

Here's some more rumor.

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php...1461&page=3

Originally posted by Woooosh on 5-21-2008 at 06:02 PM on Baja Nomad Forum

... On the four bodies found story- a neighbor who rents local houses out for parties knew the group. He said the girl was a heroin addict and the four went to Tecate to rip off two kilos of heroin from a drug dealer. They got what they deserved and actually a bullet to the head was better than losing their heads.

I do wonder which canyon the body of the missing owner of the vehicle is in- I'll look around this afternoon when I head out for a trial ride.

05-23-2008 EDIT

This would explain how authorities in Baja California obtained info from U.S. criminal and immigration records. It's a few days old, but I just found it today.

From La Cronica - Mexicali - 5-19-08

http://www.lacronica.com/EdicionEnLinea/No...008/305063.aspx

"... el gobierno de BC está ya en comunicación permanente con autoridades de EU y con el consulado de ese país en Tijuana, dijo el gobernador José Guadalupe Osuna Millán. "

Translation:

"The government of Baja California is in permanent communication with authorities in the United States and with the consulate of that country in Tijuana, said the governor Jose Guadalupe Osuna Millan."

From the same article in La Cronica:

" a otro de los ejecutados se le encontró una credencial federal electoral mexicana. "

Translation:

"... on another of the executed was found a Mexican Federal electoral credential. "

[Strega 0]

Another one...

http://www.10news.com/news/16207362/detail.html?taf=sand

SAN DIEGO -- A recent Saturday night attack in downtown Tijuana left 13 drug traffickers dead and eight more wounded. It is part of the growing criminal activity in Tijuana and Baja California, targeting not just drug dealers but innocent U.S. tourists.

Take the case of Pat Weber of Carlsbad and his girlfriend, Lori. They went to Baja to surf. Instead, two armed men in paramilitary uniforms fired into their motor home, robbed the couple and raped Lori.

"I am just thinking, 'What if I don't react? Maybe they will be turned off and will just go,'" said Lori. But it didn't happen and they raped her.

[OUTERLIMITS 0]

Another one...

That article seems to be about a couple of events that already have been reported, but interesting info from the informant. Either way, it would be wise to avoid the TJ to Ensenada corridor altogether until someone proves it is safe, which has not happened yet. Hopefully, the 500 will pass w/o incident next weekend, but I have my doubts.

[2Wheels 0]

I'm not claiming to post anything original here. It's just a chronological list of things that have been posted elsewhere or been in the news and are good to be aware of if you go to Baja.

This is from a post by Johnny Airtime on Thumpertalk. JAT, I know you visit SDAR from time to time. If you object my posting a link to what you posted on another forum, let me know and I'll stop doing it.

Drive by shooting at "the dunes" in Baja. Probably Cantamar. At least to onlookers killed and at least one injured. I was there a couple months ago. Didn't seem like a very likely spot for a drive-by shooting.

http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthrea...0610&page=5

[Joliet 0]

I'm not claiming to post anything original here. It's just a chronological list of things that have been posted elsewhere or been in the news and are good to be aware of if you go to Baja.

This is from a post by Johnny Airtime on Thumpertalk. JAT, I know you visit SDAR from time to time. If you object my posting a link to what you posted on another forum, let me know and I'll stop doing it.

Drive by shooting at "the dunes" in Baja. Probably Cantamar. At least to onlookers killed and at least one injured. I was there a couple months ago. Didn't seem like a very likely spot for a drive-by shooting.

http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthrea...0610&page=5

I for one appreciate you keeping us informed. I think it's better to see a repeat once in a while than not see the info in the first place. Thanks, Ken

[2Wheels 0]

I for one appreciate you keeping us informed. I think it's better to see a repeat once in a while than not see the info in the first place. Thanks, Ken

No problem. Also keep in mind that this list is just what I happen to find out about. There's stuff that hits other forums like Race Dezert, Baja Nomad, Bloody Decks, Trip Advisor, and probably others I don't even know about. I don't have time to read that many forums, but if an event is a big deal, it'll make the news or Thumpertalk or ADV Rider.

I'm just posting a link, and editing the chronological list in my first post.

So far, we've been lucky here on SDAR to avoid all the arguments that usually go with this kind of thread.

[RogerTOWM 0]

“Thirty-three bodies have been found in the city since Monday.” That was in the paper on Friday. They print in the morning so that means 33 bodies from Monday through Thursday night. Think about it, we are not talking about Bagdad. This is Tijuana; you know the city right next door to us! I don’t care what the tool says, that is not a safe city. Another problem is this violence is spilling over to San Diego as well. Many of the King Pins actually live on this side of the border. Many of the murders down in the South Bay area have been connected to what goes on down south.

Again think about it. If you are in Bagdad you are safer then if you are in Tijuana. This violence is happening throughout Mexico. The rest of Baja is affected as well. You will be safer if you stay out of the large cities like Tijuana and Mexico City, but you are still at risk even in the country side. Before the tool starts spouting off how you can get murdered in the US just as easily, please someone show me where in a US city there have been 33 murders in 4 days. We didn’t have it that bad in Chicago during the days of Capone!

That being said I will be going down to Baja next month to be a chase car for one of the guys from work who is racing. I will be with people who are native Spanish speakers and are intimately familiar with Mexico. We will not be taking our families with us. The last thing any of us would do is subject our wives or children to that risk. We will not be staying in any of the large cities and we will be vigilant.

Via Con Quedado!

[2Wheels 0]

Baja Racer Steve Martz shot near Jamau on November 2, 2008.

See post # 16 on page 2 of this thread for a first hand account by Aaron Cooper of what happened: http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=708840

post # 18 in the same thread shows a map of where it happened.

As far as I can tell from the map, the GPS coordinates are N31 34.936' W115 48.691'.

post # 185 on page 19 - same thread - Steve Martz on his way home from the hospital in time for Thanksgiving.

http://www.danwalshracing.com/ For a first hand acount by Dan Walsh and Aaron Cooper of what happened.

http://www.elvigia.net/noticias/?seccion=e...15544&como= Policia Judicial arrests suspect.

http://www.baja.net/forums/showpost.php?p=...amp;postcount=1 Rough translation of the El Vigia article.

http://ensenada.net/noticias/?id=13742 Photo of the suspect. According to the Ensenada dot net article, the suspect already had a warrant out for his arrest for attempted murder.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Baja Bound tour group has been avoiding the area for years.

Quote from SurfnRide's post on Baja dot net:

I know Tim(bajabound) has been avoiding that area for years...

SurfnRide is among the top Baja racers and I think there's a connection between him and the Baja Bound tour group. Not sure, but I think he's the owner's brother-in-law.

http://www.baja.net/forums/showpost.php?p=...mp;postcount=11

http://www.baja.net/forums/showthread.php?t=24849

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So why has a tour group been avoiding the area for years? Dont know. But I found some 1998 articles about problems in that area.

El Vigia de Ensenada article

Sauzal Killings (El Sauzal is north of Ensenada where Hwy 3 makes a T intersection with Hwy 1.)

• September 17, 1998. Nineteen people murdered in El Sauzal near Ensenada. The victims were extended family and friends of Fermin Castro-Rodriguez.
  
• The motive for the killings was a drug deal gone bad.
  
• Fermin Castro-Ramirez was a native of Santa Catarina. (Santa Catarina is an Ejido close to where Steve Martz was shot. You can find it on Google Maps by searching for Heroes de la Independencia, Baja California, Mexico and looking about 5 miles northeast) He was a "Bajador"; he was in charge of receiving the marijuana that arrived in Santa Catarina by small airplane from Sinaloa. Castro transported the contraband to a business called The Indian Cowboy. They hid it in the double bottoms of the same trucks they used to transport cattle to Tijuana.
  
• Five of Fermin's people were accused of organized crime and sentenced to 10 years in 2003.
  

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1998 New York Times Article

Some quotes:

-- San Isidoro, a Pai-Pai village 30 miles southeast of Santa Catarina, has nearly disappeared since 1987, when the Government loosened restrictions on the sale of communal properties and traffickers and their representatives began to buy the Pai-Pai's lands. Many of San Isidoro's Pai-Pai have moved into the nearby town of Valle de Trinidad.

Nonetheless, in 1996 San Isidoro still had Marcelino Murillo Alvarez, a Pai speaker, as its community land commissioner. After the army found marijuana plantations around the village that year, Mr. Murillo told the authorities that he was willing to sign a document swearing that he and other Pai-Pai were uninvolved in the drug cultivation, Mr. Murillo's brother Federico said in an interview.

Weeks later, on May 29, 1996, gunmen blocked Marcelino's car and shot him to death along with a passenger, Federico said.

-- on May 18, there was a killing near Valle de Trinidad. Ramon Valenzuela, the president of the vigilance council of another, smaller group of indigenous people known as the Kiliwa, was gunned down along a farm road.

-- At a rodeo in May 1997 that Mr. Castro (the Castro who was gunned down in El Sauzal) produced near Santa Catarina, a gunman on horseback galloped up to Eufemio Sandoval, the Pai-Pai Indian who worked for Mr. Castro as the rodeo announcer, shot Mr. Sandoval to death at point-blank range, rode off to a waiting jeep and escaped into the desert.

People here originally viewed Mr. Sandoval's killing as part of a longtime family vendetta. But two people said they now believed that it had been related to Mr. Castro's narcotics activities.

[Crawdaddy 96]

Baja Racer Steve Martz shot near Jamau on November 2, 2008.

http://www.elvigia.net/noticias/?seccion=e...15544&como= Policia Judicial arrests suspect.

GREAT NEWS that they identified/arrested the ^&%$*!

[2Wheels 0]

http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/articles/20...dina1112408.txt - Innocent victim (not a tourist) killed in crossfire of shootout in El Rosario. Johnny Airtime found this article and posted the link a couple weeks ago. How does he find so much news?

You read about the record number of homicides in Tijuana in the paper every week. It seems narco gangs are mostly just battling it out with each other, but they don't care whether they hit innocent bystanders.

This shooting and the drive by shooting in Cantamar in October 2008 are just two examples of innocent bystanders in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[2Wheels 0]

Baja Racer Steve Martz shot near Jamau on November 2, 2008.

http://www.elvigia.net/noticias/?seccion=e...15544&como= Policia Judicial arrests suspect.

GREAT NEWS that they identified/arrested the ^&%$*!

This quote is from the El Vigia article:

“Fue declarado en la agencia del Ministerio Público y señaló que simplemente se escondió atrás de un matorral, vió venir a las personas y disparó contra uno de ellas”, reveló el funcionario.

"His statement was taken at the offices of the Public Ministry and he indicated that he simply hid behind a bush, saw the people coming, and shot at one of them", revealed the official.

Pretty strange confession. Well, when the story first broke a month ago, there was an article in El Vigia with reader comments posted after the article. I can't seem to find it now, but one of the reader comments said something like: "Round up a likely suspect. Make him confess. Case solved." Makes me wonder whether they got the right guy.

[2Wheels 0]

NOT NEW. I JUST DIDN'T FIND IT UNTIL NOW.

Article in Surfer Magazine from OVER A YEAR AGO. 9-9-2007 Surfers robbed at gunpoint while camped in the Cuatro Casas area.

http://www.surfermag.com/features/onlineex...baja-robbery-2/

[Ron 0]

NOT NEW. I JUST DIDN'T FIND IT UNTIL NOW.

Article in Surfer Magazine from OVER A YEAR AGO. 9-9-2007 Surfers robbed at gunpoint while camped in the Cuatro Casas area.

http://www.surfermag.com/features/onlineex...baja-robbery-2/

This is the first I've heard of this incident, though it does not surprise me.

I still walk across to see my Dentist Sam Gomez, whom I've been going to for 4 or 5 years. I will admit I'm starting to have second thoughts about that. I get to the dentist, do what I've gotta do and go straight back to the border.(its about a 10 min walk each way). I'm definitely on high alert. After hearing this kinda news and what I read about going on in TJ, I'm not sure its worth it anymore?

Ron

[bikeslut 1]

I'm hearing more and more about baja veterans just not willing to go down there any more. Its a real shame...

[racerbill 0]

Some friends just got back from 5 days of riding in Baja and had the usual great time. The hotel at Catavinia was almost empty, normally you need reservations this time of year. I'm considering a trip later this winter, but we'll start in San Felipe and go south. Almost all of the problems seem to be north of Valle De Trinidad and Ensanada. After 35 years of MC travel down there it's more a question of emergency services than the drug war. But then I'm not 25 anymore.