The United States Consulate General in Hermosillo, Mexico, issued a security alert prohibiting federal employees from traveling to the popular tourist locations of San Carlos, Guaymas, and Empalme, Sonora due to recent violent criminal activity.

The alert includes all points south of Hermosillo via Federal Highway 15. The restriction will be reevaluated at the end of a 10-day period. The matter was issued on July 31 and went into effect immediately, citing recent violent criminal activity and ongoing police actions.

The security alert reads as follows:

Security Alert – U. S. Consulate General Hermosillo, Mexico (July 31, 2018) Locations: Areas including, but not limited, to:

San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico

Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico

Empalme, Sonora, Mexico Event: Due to recent violent criminal activity and ongoing police action in San Carlos, Guaymas, and Empalme, U.S. government personnel are prohibited from traveling to the cities of San Carlos, Guaymas, Empalme, and all points south of Hermosillo via Federal Highway 15, in the state of Sonora, Mexico. Actions to Take:

Avoid the area.

Monitor local media for updates.

Be aware of your surroundings.

Breitbart Texas previously reported on cartel activity and violence in Sonora in March 2018. A police commander in Guaymas was murdered by a group of unknown gunmen who opened fire from a second vehicle as he drove his duty SUV.

In May of this year, Breitbart Texas reported on the capture of a key regional Sinaloa cartel boss in Sonora who was identified as Josué Iván Torres González aka “El Chango” (“Monkey”) who was taken into custody during a series of raids, which resulted in the capture of two criminal associates and the seizure of drugs, weapons, vehicles, and telecommunication devices.

Most recently, Breitbart Texas reported on the shocking killing of a cartel operative gunned down inside a church before approximately 40 parishioners in Ciudad Obregón. Due to the escalating violence in the area, elements of the state and federal police, as well as the Mexican Army, are providing security patrols in Guaymas and Empalme. In the week prior to the security alert being issued, at least seven locals were reportedly kidnapped and several shootings were reported by local media.

Robert Arce is a retired Phoenix Police detective with extensive experience working Mexican organized crime and street gangs. Arce has worked in the Balkans, Iraq, Haiti, and recently completed a three-year assignment in Monterrey, Mexico, working out of the Consulate for the United States Department of State, International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Program, where he was the Regional Program Manager for Northeast Mexico (Coahuila, Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, Durango, San Luis Potosi, Zacatecas.) You can follow him on Twitter. He can be reached at robertrarce@gmail.com