Mexican drug cartel crosses into Texas and kidnaps man who bragged that he stole $50K from them
A man who allegedly bragged that he stole $50,000 from a Mexican drug cartel was reportedly kidnapped from his house in Laredo, Texas, and is now missing. Vice News reported.
Reports say Erik Taddeo Ramirez was kidnapped by members of Cartel del Noreste (CDN) and taken across the border into Mexico. The men, all wearing masks and carrying guns, reportedly arrived at his house in a blue pickup truck just after midnight on March 24. They stormed the house, took Ramirez, and went to the port of entry and crossed the border into Nuevo Laredo, Mexico.
Security cameras showed that Ramirez tried to escape but was unsuccessful.
“The (security cameras) video recording showed a male with blood on his face open the front passenger door of the blue Dodge Ram four-door pick-up truck in distress while the blue Dodge Ram four door pick-up truck was in motion. Officers at the bridge stated the male was attempting to exit the blue Dodge Ram four door pick-up truck and was pulled back into the blue Dodge Ram four door pick-up truck by force,” court documents say.
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"Hours later, Ramírez’s girlfriend and sister called the police to report the kidnapping," Vice News reported. "Witnesses told the police that the night of March 24, Ramírez had a phone call with an unknown woman to whom he bragged about having stolen $50,000 from the Cartel del Noreste. Ramírez allegedly told the woman on the phone that he was in Laredo and 'that he was not in danger or afraid of the unknown female because he was in the United States.'"
On March 27, U.S. authorities arrested Jonathan Cavriales, who is an alleged member of CDN, at the same port of entry Ramirez was taken across to Mexico. Cavriales was arrested as he tried to get back into the U.S. while driving the same pick-up truck used to kidnap Ramírez. The other gunmen still remain at large.
Cavriales told investigators that he “was aware that the victim had stolen approximately $50,000 from the Cartel del Noreste.” He has since been charged with kidnapping.
Vice's report did not indicate whether Ramirez was a U.S. citizen.