Violence in Mexico

Violence in Mexico is at an all time high, but students are still headed there for spring break.

Be aware and be prepared with SecurAssist.

Spring break season is here, with students heading out on vacation all over the world.A perennial top spot are the beaches and resorts of Mexico, where a spike in drug-related violence has tripled murder rates in the last two years, taxed law enforcement and caused a general decline in law and order allowing even criminals not associated with the drug trade to flourish.While the bulk of violence is concentrated in specific areas far from the coastal resort towns, and thousands of foreign tourists visit the country each year encountering only minor security issues, organized crime-related violence is extremely widespread in Mexico and there are few places that do not carry significant security risks.

Cancun--Cancun has historically been an important port of entry for South American drugs moving through Mexico on their way to the United States, and has also been a center for other criminal enterprises such as alien smuggling, extortion and kidnapping.

Acapulco--Acapulco is one of Mexico's more violent resort cities with rival drug cartels battling police, as well as each other within the city and in nearby towns.

Puerto Vallarta -- Puerto Vallarta's location makes it strategically important to trafficking groups that send and receive shipments of South American and Chinese drugs, however criminal activity there is relatively compared to resorts elsewhere in Mexico.

Mazatlan -- Mazatlan has been the most consistently violent of Mexico's resort cities during the past few months.There is no evidence that the violence is directed at foreign tourists, but the high level of criminal activity means that potential for danger is great.

Cabo San Lucas--Cabo San Lucas has been relatively isolated from Mexico's drug-related violence, however does experience problems with organized crime and kidnappings.

Do you have students or children of employees going to Mexico for spring break?Are you prepared if they run into trouble away from home?

Register your company for SecurAssist, the non-medical travel emergency program from Assist America that you receive through your benefit program, at www.securassist.com.It is free to enroll, and once you do you can immediately review the latest in travel security intelligence and have a team of security experts ready to help for any emergency with a single phone call.