A disturbing video circulating on social media appears to show members of a Mexican drug cartel extorting money from bar hostesses. In the video, armed men force the women to kneel on the floor, with one gunman holding a pistol to a woman's head while she pleads for her life. The cartel members claim the owner of the escort business is affiliated with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), and they demand weekly payments from the women. The gunmen, wearing tactical vests with the CJNG initials, threaten to kill those who don't comply with their demands. They also mention distributing bracelets to identify those who have paid protection money.
Authorities in Mexico are investigating the video's authenticity and location. The Jalisco cartel is known for its involvement in a violent turf war in Guanajuato, a state with Mexico's highest homicide rate. This incident highlights the cartel's increasing involvement in extortion and protection rackets, targeting various businesses, including immigrant smugglers. Last year, some migrants crossing the US border were seen wearing bracelets indicating the gang that smuggled them. Security analyst David Saucedo notes that cartels are using various methods, such as stickers on vehicles, to track who has paid. This extortion practice is expanding to include a growing number of businesses, even those with low profit margins, like tortilla shops, which have been attacked for failing to pay or paying a rival gang.
