Police rescue man who was ‘virtually kidnapped’ at hotel by cartel

Alleged cartel members demanded money and threaten to kill him if he left

SAN LUIS RIO COLORADO, Sonora (KYMA, KECY) - Police rescue a man in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, who was being held captive in a hotel threatened by phone calls.

Tribuna de San Luis reports police managed to rescue the man on Tuesday in a hotel in San Luis Rio Colorado by Obregon Avenue and 8th Street.

Police say they received a call from the victim's family stating they were being scammed for money by the cartel in exchange for the victim's life.

After an extensive search for the victim, they found him hiding in a well-known hotel.

The victim told police he had received death threats over the phone by an alleged cartel member accusing him of working for other cartels.

The caller then forced the victim to buy a cell phone and confine himself in a room of the hotel under another name.

He says they made him take pictures of himself and send them through WhatsApp to make sure he followed directions.

Police say the cartel phone scam is nothing new in the area but continue to investigate to locate the alleged scammers.