The discovery of 72 bodies in north-eastern Mexico has highlighted the lucrative kidnapping of illegal migrants by drug cartels. Migrants from Central and South America, travelling to the US, are targeted for extortion and forced labour.
In 2009, the Mexican National Human Rights Commission registered 10,000 kidnappings of illegal migrants over six months. The cartels earned an estimated $25m from ransoms and forced labour during that period.
Father Alejandro Solalinde, a migrant rights activist, says criminals take 'today's, yesterday's and tomorrow's money' from victims. They steal cash, demand ransoms from savings, and sometimes extort monthly payments for a future release.
Kidnapped migrants are forced into slavery, used for drug smuggling, or to attract new victims. Many are disposed of in mass graves or incinerated, making accurate figures difficult to obtain.
The Mexican government has expressed concern and taken measures, including firing officials accused of collusion. However, rights groups fear the true scale of the problem is worse than reported.
