:quality(85)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/OOHABAEAZRHY3CJKRVXNVRSGYA.jpg "Hitmen intercept bus with 36 passengers on the Matamoros-Reynosa highway; his whereabouts are unknown")
Armed individuals intercept Grupo Senda bus in Tamaulipas
A group of armed individuals stopped a bus belonging to Grupo Senda on the night of December 30 in Tamaulipas, Mexico. The bus was en route to the city of Matamoros when it was intercepted and the 36 passengers on board were forced to get off at gunpoint.
The Tamaulipas Security Spokesperson’s Office described the incident as an “incident” which took place on the Matamoros – Reynosa highway shortly after 10 pm. The bus, numbered 9570, had left the city of Reynosa and was intercepted by the armed individuals halfway through the journey.
The authorities confirmed that the passengers were threatened and forced to get off the bus, but did not disclose whether they were further detained or provide details on their whereabouts.
The Mexican Army, National Guard, and State Guard responded to the incident and escorted the bus to the Matamoros headquarters following a report from the bus operator.
Unconfirmed reports suggested that only some of the passengers were able to reach the terminal in Matamoros. This incident is reminiscent of an attempted kidnapping of migrants in the same region earlier in December.
On December 12, a group of Venezuelan migrants aboard a Futura line bus in Reynosa faced an attempted kidnapping by a group of armed individuals. The passengers alleged that the transportation company staff had sold them fake tickets, and they were intercepted by armed men shortly after departing from the terminal.
The passengers managed to resist the attack, break the windows of the bus, and return safely to Reynosa, suspecting collusion between the transportation company and criminal groups.
Both incidents highlight the dangers faced by travelers in the Tamaulipas region and raise concerns about the safety of public transportation in the area. Authorities have not yet provided further details on the incidents or any arrests made in connection with the armed interceptions.