73 Kidnapped Victims From Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador Rescued By Mexican Federal Police

The kidnappers allegedly raped some of the victims multiple times and others were beaten while ransom was sought from families.

By H. Nelson Goodson

October 4, 2013

Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico - On Monday, the Mexican Federal Police reported that two suspects were arrested after attempting to elude federal police during a routine check. The suspects ended up at a house located in a neighborhood called Las Fuentes.

While police approached the property, they heard cries for help. Federal police entered the home and discovered 73 people being held against their will. The victims told authorities that some of the men involved in their kidnapping had raped women multiple times and others were beaten while the kidnappers contacted the victims families back home to pay ransom. 

Authorities say, Santiagio Bentacourt Mora, 43, and Daniel Martínez Gonzalez, 25, were the two suspects involved in a chase that ended at a safe house used by a criminal organization to hold kidnapping victims for ransom. Also arrested at the scene was Cristian Josué Galván Hernández, 18, who police say was a lookout for the property and kept taps on authorities.

Police freed 37 mexican nationals (32 men and 5 women), 19 from Honduras (9 men and 10 women), 14 from Guatemala (12 men and 2 women) and three men from El Salvador. Six of the victims were minors, police reported.

The victims were kidnapped while travelling by bus or vans and were held from two to three days, while some had been held captive for up to four months, the mexican federal police reported. 

Authorities also conficated 687 bullets, a grenade and 10 kilograms of marijuana at the safe house.