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The Four Men Were Assumed To Be Linked To Organized Crime
The bodies of four men have been uncovered in the popular resort area of Playa del Carmen. The number of bodies found has led investigators to believe the men were linked to organized crime.
The discovery was made on Thursday morning by a public services department crew clearing shrubbery near a new housing development project. The four bodies were left in and around the bushes. Pictures leaked of the crime scene show two bodies lying in the road, while the other two appear to be in the nearby bushes.
The team contacted the authorities, and the bodies have since been removed.
Initial reports suggest no gunshot wounds, although the FGE stated that those were based on evidence at the scene. The cause of death is expected to be announced after a full autopsy is completed.
Although any identification has been impossible thus far, the large number of bodies strongly suggests that the deaths are related to organized crime. No further details of the crime have been released.
The deaths are the most recent in a massive surge in gang-related violence. Despite most tourists being utterly unaffected by organized crime, Quintana Roo is suffering a brutal start to the year. Since the New Year, the state has seen over a hundred murders, including a particularly bloody spell that saw 21 murders in just eleven days.
The harrowing figures tell a tale of two cities. New reports of violence flood in every day while millions of tourists are enjoying their vacations, oblivious in most cases to the horrors happening just a few hundred meters away in some cases. It’s a jarring thing to see Cancun on lists ranking both the world’s most sought-after destinations and the world’s most dangerous cities.
As stated, the violence rarely touches the tourists in the region, but the increasing regularity of the violence is worrying. Several more high-profile incidents have taken place in the middle of popular resorts or tourist zones, placing the revelers at immediate risk of collateral damage.
Last year, one incident in Tulum saw two tourists killed in the crossfire behind rival gangs. Neither of the tourists had anything to do with organized crime. Another headline-grabbing incident occurred at the Xcaret Hotel when two men were assassinated in broad daylight in the middle of the resort. Both men were high-level members of a Canadian-Vietnamese criminal organization. No tourists were hurt, but the shocking events that unfolded prompted global concern for the safety of visitors in the region.
Although the statistics back up the belief that tourists are generally safe in Cancun and beyond, the government is making efforts to increase safety. The arrival of the Tourist Security Battalion last November has been a relatively helpful presence. However, it has failed to prevent a wider escalation of violence.
Recent developments have produced an expansion of surveillance systems within the tourist zones. The police are now linked to most hotel and restaurant surveillance which, in theory, could help make responses more preemptive instead of reactionary. However, it remains to be seen how much help it will provide.
With as many as 3 million tourists expected to pass through the region over the Easter period, the area will be doubling down on its security procedures to prevent further violence. The added tourists also mean a high chance of involvement as many will seek out drugs on their arrival in the city.
Those hoping to visit Cancun soon should continue to keep on top of any restriction changes that may take place, both in Mexico and in the country of origin.
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