Creel killings: Massacre of family escalates Mexican drug wars.
Jo Tuckman in Mexico City The Guardian, Tuesday August 19 2008

The sleepy atmosphere of the tourist mountain town of Creel in northern Mexico was blown apart this weekend when a heavily armed gang attacked 14 locals as they chatted on a street. All but one died.

Creel killings: Massacre of family escalates Mexican drug wars | World news | The Guardian

Thanks for the link. I've been in contact with a local friend in Los Mochis about the security situation there, and it's not looking good. Usually, I take the back way from Choix to Batopilas.

They are averaging at least one robbery on the route a week, and most travellers are advised to hook up with the mine-supply trailers for security to Tubares.

....my next trip was planned in November...we'll see.

Ride Safe!

-H-

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Such sad news

I was in Creel two months ago. I came through from Ojinaga Saw some military convoys in between Ojinaga and Chihuahua city along with a military check point. But after that I didn't notice a military presence in the area (perhaps I wasn't looking in the right places).

After leaving Creel for Hermosillo there was a military check point deep...deeep in the middle of the Sierra Madres. About 150 miles from anything I'd say, so perhaps that's indicative of some of the gang wars you talked about mollydog?

Either way, I didn't have any problems.

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Damn shame! I'll have to rethink stopping by Creel this October.

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Latin America - ADVrider

I'm contemplating tracking the the border along Arizona & New Mexico through the Altar and Sonora at some point, crossing into the US around perhaps at Nogales hopefully doing it as much off road as can be done. Any comments about this?

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This sux

Share the joint, kill the junkies

The Arizona/Mexico border tensions are high right now. When we go to Mexico, we usually camp at least 50 miles from the border, or find a cheap hotel in Tucson/Bisbee and make an early trip in the morning; making sure that we're a hundred miles South the first day.

Lots of coyotes running people and drugs across the border in the remote areas, and since both of these have a high monetary value, there is violence. I'd suggest not doing a border run, unless it is in a large group.

-H-

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I've always hated the border as it has always been a problem, not so much for killing but the the border has long been a den of thievery and cheap hustles including the so called law enforcement But it is disheartening that hustles have been supplanted with violence and even worse that the new violence has made it down to Creel.

I was hoping to ride to Creel in the middle of Oct there would be 4 to 8 of us, now im unsure about the ride.
I will continue to plan the ride unsure if we will take this route. Any suggestions from the Douglas crossing should we take Hwy 2 to Mex 10 to Hwy 45 west on 16 to Creel or
Douglas to Mex 17 to Hermosillo east on Mex 16 to Creel. What route would be more scenic
I also can not find a hwy # on the turn off from Hwy 16 down to Creel.

I dont see where this gang violence is much different from gangs in LA. You are much more likely to meet your end on the ride down or back then on the street in Creel.

Now the tensions on the border are troubling, US Border Patrol and Mexico military exchanging pot shots at each other is not vary good. Anyone know why or what there up to?

i was lost in the back tracks around copper canyon heading for creel last year when my chain broke ,i could not find my spare link as it got dark and my torch was flat ,i was sitting on the side of the track at about midnight and a pick up came along and they offered me a lift ,managed to find my spare link with there headlights ,what was the pick up full of but weed ,they offered me some ,little bit worried at first ,but i am still here ,all good

Canoe Guy ,glad it worked out for you. How was the weed?

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Mollydog, for what it is worth, a headline today 03sept08 in the Policiales section of the Clarin (Buenos Aires newspaper) describes a bust here that netted 300 kilos of "efedrina" and a possible Mexican connection that might be the cause of a triple murder.

Your understanding of the Mexican drug/political/tourist/economic scene is very impressive. Please post any suggestions for US foreign policy change on new thread entitled Help a "less developed country" - USA in MAKE A DIFFERENCE forum... thanks xfiltrate

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Patrick, I was referring to the USA as the less developed country, (in terms of foreign policy) NOT MEXICO! Please see my thread in Make a Difference forum.

I lived in San Miguel de Allende, GTO for three years. I have been a United States Peace Corps volunteer (Costa Rica), worked with the International Red Cross, in Mexico, and exported restaurant furniture (thousands of hand made tables and chairs), fountains, pottery, and construction materials out of Mexico and into the US.

Mexico has more millionaires per capita than the USA, and you are absolutely right ... the challenge of survival is great because of greed on the part of a few....government corruption, bad agency administrators, drought, flooding poor infra structure with the Church as the real safety net for starvation. The Mexican people are generally industrious and I doubt many North Americans could face the challenges of daily life of a poor Mexican and survive as well as they do.... It is difficult not to lose hope.

Lack of water is an increasing problem in northern Mexico. I am happy to report here that we drove through Mexico Brownsville, Tx to Guatemala and returned Guatemala up the west coast to Nogales about two years ago and I have noted a dramatic change in the behavior of the Mexican police. In every instance they treated us with respect and traveling the length of the country twice within 6 months, we had no problems whatsoever.

I do understand that the northern border towns are increasingly out of control due to scuffles between rival drug gangs and police.... take care and please see my post under MAKE A DIFFERENCE xfiltrate

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