Cancún, Quintana Roo — Five carpenters from the State of Mexico who traveled to Cancún for work at a shopping center were found safe in a hotel after being extorted via video call by inmates at a Mexico City prison, authorities said.
State prosecutor Raciel López Salazar said the case began when authorities in Nezahualcóyotl, State of Mexico, requested assistance after receiving a report of an apparent kidnapping. State police from the Centurión group tracked the victims’ location using cellphone geolocation, leading them to a hotel in the Supermanzana 20 neighborhood.
The hotel manager allowed officers into the room, where they found the five workers unharmed but still on a call with the extortionists.
According to investigators, the criminals posed as members of a criminal gang and threatened the men during a video call, ordering them to stay locked in the hotel. They demanded 30,000 pesos per person for their supposed release. Relatives, believing it was a real kidnapping, made several deposits totaling about 67,000 pesos before authorities intervened.
López Salazar confirmed the extortion calls originated from the Santa Martha Acatitla prison in Mexico City.
The prosecutor urged the public to verify any such situations with authorities before making deposits.
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