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dstan

Dec 2, 2011, 10:20 AM

Post #1 of 15 (2008 views)

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travel safety.... Hwy 15

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We will be crossing at Nogales and driving Hwy 15 to San Francisco, Nayarit sometime around the 12th of December. I am wondering if anyone has heard of any foreigners experiencing problems along this stretch of road lately. I have traveled this route many times with no difficulty, but reading the Canadian Travel Warning had made me nervous! Thank you....

chinagringo

Dec 2, 2011, 10:34 AM

Post #2 of 15 (1998 views)

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Re: [dstan] travel safety.... Hwy 15

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I have some friends who drove north on that route last week and while they didn't personally experience any problems, there were numerous incidents of both military and police responding to something. They mentioned that on one hand, it was good to see so much evidence of law enforcement they didn't care for the fact that there was evidently something going on nearby. From news reports, there seems to have been an escalation of cartel violence in Sinaloa.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

wiloran

Dec 2, 2011, 3:30 PM

Post #3 of 15 (1958 views)

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Re: [dstan] travel safety.... Hwy 15

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I drove down a month ago and it was smooth sailing all the way. I actually saw less police and military than I saw when I drove north last May. I also have many friends and acquaintances who have driven down (people are arriving here almost daily) and none of them have reported problems.

HarryinNM

Dec 3, 2011, 8:37 AM

Post #4 of 15 (1894 views)

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Re: [wiloran] travel safety.... Hwy 15

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We crossed at Nogales in mid-November and traveled 15 to Cuyutlan. Noticed less military and police presence than on previous trips. Absolutely no difficulties.

norteño

Dec 3, 2011, 12:04 PM

Post #5 of 15 (1870 views)

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Re: [HarryinNM] travel safety.... Hwy 15

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They weren't U. S. citizens, but this family of innocent Mexicans drew the black bean on this highway. The story is dated Nov. 23, and goes on to say that they were apparently murdered at the time of disappearance. It was a couple with children aged 15 and 17.:

http://www.lineadirectaportal.com/publicacion.php?noticia=60087

Navojoa, Son.- The four members of a family missing since last Nov. 5 when they were traveling from Guadalajara to Caborca by International Highway 15, and who were last seen at the Cuatro Caminos tollbooth, were found dead this Wednesday afternoon in the state of Sonora.

According to reports, the four people were traveling over the aforementioned federal route and were lost track of after they passed through the Cuatro Caminos tollbooth at Las Brisas, Guasave, Sinaloa.

They are said to have been caught in the crossfire of a shootout that occurred near Batamote...

bfwpdx

Dec 4, 2011, 5:34 AM

Post #6 of 15 (1796 views)

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Re: [norteño] travel safety.... Hwy 15

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Thanks Norteno. We are the friends of Neil who travelled along that route just after this event. We stayed at Navajoa the night of the 22 November and knew something big had happened. We ran into three massive road blocks just south of Navajoa with army, federal and municipal police. They were checking all the large transport trailers and buses (inside and out) but leaving cars alone. There was a constant stream of police cars and ambulances coming south from Navajoa. After we checked into the Best Western we continued to hear sirens. This was around 5PM on the 22nd of November. I appreciate finding out what happened. We mourn the loss of that Mexican family.

Moisheh

Dec 4, 2011, 8:00 AM

Post #7 of 15 (1756 views)

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Re: [bfwpdx] travel safety.... Hwy 15

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Although Hwy 15 is safe I would strongly recommend that you NOT drive at night. Forget what others have posted on this subject. Mochis, Guasave, Obregon and all of Sinaloa are a hotbed of Narco activity right now. This all happens at night. I have not heard of anyone encountering problems in the daylight. Stay on the toll road.

Moisheh

bfwpdx

Dec 4, 2011, 8:22 AM

Post #8 of 15 (1738 views)

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Re: [Moisheh] travel safety.... Hwy 15

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As I said, we checked into the Best Western Navajoa at 5PM. We never drive at night.

bfwpdx

Dec 4, 2011, 8:25 AM

Post #9 of 15 (1733 views)

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Re: [bfwpdx] travel safety.... Hwy 15

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This also happened around the same date, I do not know if they are connected or not. However, note that this event happened in the morning, NOT after dark....

http://www.borderlandbeat.com/2011/11/wednesday-morning-horror-in-culiacan.html

Axixic

Dec 4, 2011, 8:51 AM

Post #10 of 15 (1725 views)

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Re: [bfwpdx] travel safety.... Hwy 15

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In Reply To

Don't join a cartel and you can probably pass safely through. I didn't read in this story that foreigners were abducted and killed. No matter what time of day it is, stay out of the drug business and you will likely be safe.

chinagringo

Dec 4, 2011, 9:08 AM

Post #11 of 15 (1712 views)

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Re: [Axixic] travel safety.... Hwy 15

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"No matter what time of day it is, stay out of the drug business and you will likely be safe."

What a generalization! What is the difference between a foreigner or a Mexican being adversely affected by current events? OH, I get it - all Mexicans are involved in the drug trade. Was the American recently killed in Ajijic involved in the drug trade? I had one friend get his vehicle jacked while driving on a cuota in the middle of a Sunday morning and another friend get killed in a crossfire again in the middle of the day. And neither of them was involved in the drug trade. Bullets do not change their trajectory when headed towards a foreigner!

To use the term: "drawing the black bean" - bad things can happen at any time of the day and in any location. If it is your time, then there isn't much you can do about it!
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

bfwpdx

Dec 4, 2011, 11:09 AM

Post #12 of 15 (1695 views)

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Re: [Axixic] travel safety.... Hwy 15

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I cannot imagine a better example of a non sequitur.

Moisheh

Dec 4, 2011, 11:32 AM

Post #13 of 15 (1684 views)

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Re: [bfwpdx] travel safety.... Hwy 15

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Although it is true that tourists are not targeted this is a war. At night if you are driving where there is a gun battle do you think the sicarios will ask for your passport and then wish a pleasant journey? It is rare that anything happens during the day . I live in Sonora and read the paper every day. They only report about 5 % of the stuff that happens and even then there are incidents every day. But I still would not be afraid to travel during daylight. In our village half of the residents are from Sinaloa. Their relatives tell us they do not go out at night. NEVER! Good enough advice for me.

Moisheh

michoacan

Dec 8, 2011, 5:12 PM

Post #14 of 15 (1479 views)

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Re: [Moisheh] travel safety.... Hwy 15

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Sicarios busca carros de lujo o deportes.

Newer sporty cars, macho 4WD, with dark windows have been targeted. Things are always peaceful and quiet on Mex 15-D until they aren't.

surebought

Dec 13, 2011, 1:06 PM

Post #15 of 15 (1309 views)

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Re: [dstan] travel safety.... Hwy 15

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I am leaving on the 16th and heading to Guadala on the same route. I do it every year in December. It is the best time to travel south. No traffic, no rain, no heat, no checkpoints past Sonora and nobody in the hotels. You will be the only tourist in Mazatlan if you want to stop there. Perfect weather. Its way faster to take the toll roads. Just pay the money and you'll make up for a lot of it with gas savings because it is a lot less distance
. Gas just went up so expect to pay $2.85 US per gallon.