17 Kidnapping Victims Rescued in Matamoros

Update: The Mexican Navy clarifiied the nationalities of the kidnapping victims: 14 Mexicans, 2 Guatemalans and 1 Honduran.

The Mexican Navy is reporting the rescue of 17 kidnapping victims in Matamoros.

Mexican Navy officials reported the 17 victims were rescued from two safe houses on Monday.

The Mexican Navy reported that they received information about one of the safe houses and went to investigation.

Authorities found 11 people, 10.87 pounds of marijuana and rifle inside the home.

Investigators charged Juan Ponce-Ramirez as being the caretaker of the safe house.

The Mexican Navy reported that the incident lead them to another home where six other alleged kidnapping victims were located.

Authorities said the kidnapping victims had all been held for ransom with their alleged kidnappers demanding money from relatives via telephone.

The Mexican Navy did not release the names of the kidnapping victims but initally reported the majority of them "had homes in the United States."

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Mexican Troops Rescue 16 from Kidnappers

Monterrey, Nuevo Leon - Army troops rescued a total of 23 kidnapping victims after clashes with gunmen in the northern state of Nuevo Leon, the Mexican military said Tuesday.

A spokesman for the 7th Military Zone told the press that two gunmen were killed Tuesday during a battle on a ranch near the town of Sabinas Hidalgo, located about 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of Monterrey, the state capital.

Among the 16 captives discovered at the ranch were a woman and a 3-year-old child, the spokesman said, adding that several of the captors managed to escape the military operation, which included helicopters.

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Eight Kidnapped Victims Rescued

Army Frees 8 Kidnapping Victims in Northern Mexico.

Monterrey, NL - Army troops rescued eight people who had been kidnapped in Guadalupe, a city in the northern Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, and arrested a suspect, military spokesmen said.

An anonymous telephone tip led the soldiers to a crane rental business that was being used as a safe house for holding hostages.

The suspect arrested in the operation was in charge of guarding the hostages.

The military spokesmen did not provide any information on the identity of the hostages or on who abducted them.

Mexican lawmakers, representatives of non-governmental organizations and legal experts participating in a conference rejected the idea Monday of using the death penalty or life in prison to deal with kidnappings, one of the biggest problems in the country.

Eleven vehicles that had been reported stolen were found at the property where the hostages were being held.

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Seven Young Men "Levantados"

A group of gunmen kidnapped several young men in Chihuahua

Aldama, Chih - A group of gunmen abducted a number of young people between the ages of 17 and 20 years, seven of which were identified by the authorities in the Mexican city of Aldama in the northern state of Chihuahua, an official source said.

According to the local press it was eleven young people that were "levantados" (abducted), but the prosecution has identified only seven, one of which was released yesterday along with another that had not been reported as missing.

Generally the "levantados"" are taken to a "safe house" of organized crime to torture them in order to obtain a confession or to avenge a betrayal. Almost always the "levantados" are executed.

The youths were kidnapped by 15 armed men and some of them wore military clothing and were hooded. The action took place at a car wash service in Aldama, 25 miles from Chihuahua in state capital.

The hijackers were aboard three SUV's and a car.

Of the seven that have been identified two have 17 years, one 18 years (who was located just yesterday), two 19 years and two 20 years, according to a statement by the Prosecutor of Chihuahua.

The prosecution requested the collaboration of the Mexican Army and Federal Police to assist in the search and arrest of the persons responsible, as well as the location and rescue of victims.

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