Tijuana (Mexico) had 1,744 homicides in 2017

[left-of-center2012]

Control for street drug trade pushes Tijuana to grisly new record: 1,744 homicides

The bloodshed in Tijuana (across the border from San Diego, CA) has continued at an unrelenting pace in these first days of the new year as two powerful drug trafficking organizations battle for control of the city’s lucrative street drug sales:
The long-established Sinaloa cartel and a newer, aggressive group known as the cartel Nueva Generación Jalisco, often abbreviated as CJNG.

... almost double the record of 910 homicides set in 2016.

Though bullets have struck innocent bystanders, the killings have been largely targeted and carried out in the city’s impoverished and working class neighborhoods, authorities say.
Close to 90 percent of the victims are low-level operatives in the local drug trade ...

In many cases, the victims’ bodies are unclaimed, either because they are from other parts of Mexico, or because they are estranged from family members.

According to the DEA, there are five drug trafficking groups based in various parts of Mexico that are operating in the Tijuana region.

Despite the spiking homicide numbers, the city’s main business districts have remained vibrant, with shops and restaurants full, and its numerous factories booming with activity.

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/sd-me-homicides-tijuana-20180102-story.html

[BigmanPigman]

1. Most of the people I know who still go to TJ are Mexican and have family

living there. No one I know of, including myself, has gone down there to visit the shops, etc in over 20 years.

Too bad, it was a fun day trip. Tecate is where I still like to travel to for a few hours a couple times a year. It is the opposite of TJ. They don't have all the tacky tourist junk being sold on the streets every few feet. Also they do not speak much English since not many visitors go there for the day. It is still quaint, charming, clean, welcoming and SAFE! It isn't far from TJ but I think people want to keep it secret so it won't change. You can smell the hops on some days from the Tecate Beer factory close by.

[left-of-center2012]

2. I lived in San Diego for about 20 years

We often went to Tijuana to shop or just walk around.
I went down alone a few times and felt very comfortable.

Using Google maps' street view I now see many of the shops we visited are no longer there.

I moved to Albuquerque, NM around 2002 and went several times across the border to Palomas, Mexico south of Deming, NM.
I stopped when a bag with two severed heads was found in the gazebo of a little park across from the cathedral,
where I used sit on a bench relaxing.

[Sunlei]

3. Thanks "drug War". About the same number of people killed by police for 'running' & backtalk.

[dhill926]

4. just finished reading The Cartel by Don Winslow....

a hair-raising read to say the least.