Five Mexican musicians abducted, murdered by alleged drug cartel

Five Mexican band members who were hired to play a concert in a troubled city in the northeast of the nation are suspected of murdering them.

The five musicians went missing on Sunday, and nine suspects were detained in connection with their abduction and murder, according to the Diario de Mexico newspaper on Thursday.

The Gulf Cartel, which operates in the city of Reynosa in Tamaulipas state, close to the US border, is alleged to be responsible for the nine suspects’ arrests.

“Five people who are deemed to be at risk of the events were detained by law enforcement.” They are suspected of belonging to a Gulf Cartel criminal cell, according to attorney general of Tamaulipas Irving Barrios.

Due to the presence of cartel members involved in drug and migrant trafficking, as well as other crimes, including extortion, Tamaulipas is regarded as one of Mexico’s most dangerous states.

Officials announced the arrests shortly after they learned that five bodies had been discovered while the men, who were members of a local band called Fugitivo, were being searched.

According to family members who had staged a protest calling on the authorities to act, the musicians were hired to perform a concert on Sunday but when they arrived, they discovered that the venue where their planned performance would be held was a vacant lot.

The musicians, who ranged in age from 20 to 40, were reportedly being demanded by relatives for ransom.

Mexican musicians have previously been targeted by cartel members because some of their music is paid to write and perform songs that glorify the exploits of gang leaders.

According to Barrios, investigators tracked the musicians’ last movements using video surveillance footage and mobile phone tracking.

He claimed that he found two vehicles and nine firearms.

In Mexico, over 480 000 people have died in drug-related violence and organized crime, and 120 000 have vanished.