165 illegals freed from captivity by Mexico
BBC: The Mexican army says it has rescued 165 migrants kidnapped by a criminal gang at least two weeks ago. The migrants were trying to cross to the US illegally but were taken hostage in northern Tamaulipas state by a gang who demanded cash from relatives. Most of the victims were from Central American countries. The migrants were probably betrayed by human trafficking gangs who were paid to get them into the US, a Mexican government spokesperson said. Instead of taking the group across the border, they handed them over to another criminal organisation that operates in northern Mexico. The kidnappers had been phoning relatives of the victims and demanding further money transfers, said government spokesman Eduardo Sanchez. The operation took place on Tuesday, in the municipality of Gustavo Diaz Ordaz, but has only now been reported. The army was alerted to the presence of heavily armed men at a property in the area, said Mr Sanchez. When it stormed the property, it found 165 people, ...