The United States Department of State issues daily travel warnings. This arrived today and is NOT unusual.

April 26, 2005

This Public announcement is to alert U.S. citizens to the continuing unsettled public security situation along the Mexican side of the US-Mexico border. This Public Announcement supersedes the announcement of January 26, 2005 to update the information provided. It expires on July 29, 2005.

Violent criminal activity fueled by a war between criminal organizations struggling for control of the lucrative narcotics trade continues along the US-Mexico border. This has resulted in a wave of violence aimed primarily at members of drug trafficking organizations, criminal justice officials and journalists.
However, foreign visitors and residents, including Americans, have been among the victims of homicides and kidnappings in the border region.

A power vacuum within criminal organizations resulting from the imprisonment of several of their leaders along the Mexico- U.S. border continues to contribute to a deterioration of public safety in the region. In recent months, the worst violence has been centered in the city of Nuevo Laredo in the
Mexican State of Tamaulipas, where more than 30 U.S. citizens have been kidnapped and/or murdered in the past eight months and public shootouts have occurred during the daylight hours near frequented shopping areas and on streets leading to the international bridges. One of the shootouts spilled onto the
Mexican side of the bridge itself. Four police officers have been killed in Nuevo Laredo since March.

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While Americans are not always the targets, Americans traveling into foreign lands can easily, and are often, caught up in issues ranging from “turf” battles to venting anti-American sentiments.

The EPIC 1 and EPIC 2 are plans designed for providing not only money for ransom and reward, but the real strength to any Kidnap/Ransom policy is the response team members who are ready to provide on site management/ assistance to the family or business of a kidnapped victim. These experienced
negotiators are usually successful in reaching a solution to the matter without loss of life. Terrorists and kidnappers have an objective other than killing the victim. To learn more about the EPIC series of programs, contact our office or website for a brochure or click here.