WASHINGTON (AP) - The State Department on Wednesday alerted Americans visiting Mexico that violent crime, including murder and kidnaping, has increased in its northern border region.
"U.S. citizens should be aware of the risk posed by the deteriorating security situation," the department said in a public announcement. It added that the great majority of victims are Mexican citizens.
The announcement attributed the increased crime to a war between criminal organizations struggling for control of the lucrative narcotics trade. It said the leaders of several major criminal organizations have been arrested, creating a power vacuum.
"This has resulted in a wave of violence aimed primarily at members of those trafficking organizations and criminal justice officials,'' the announcement said.
