Alert issued after disappearances on the Monterrey-Reynosa highway. Are they kidnapped by drug traffickers?

The U.S. Consulate General in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, issued a security alert to its citizens at 5:42 p.m. on Friday, June 20, 2025, following several reports of disappearances on the highway that connects the city of Monterrey, capital of the state of Nuevo León, with Reynosa, in the state of Tamaulipas.

Through a post on its website, shared on its various social media accounts, the U.S. diplomatic mission stated that it was aware of disappearances on the aforementioned highway, and therefore issued a level 4 alert, “Do not travel due to crimes and kidnappings.”

“The U.S. Consulate is aware of disappearances on the Monterrey-Reynosa Highway. The Secretary of Security in Reynosa has issued a warning to avoid traveling on the Monterrey-Reynosa Highway at night and the risks it entails, especially in the section between Cadereyta and Los Ramones,” the U.S. diplomatic mission explained.

“U.S. government employees are not permitted to travel between cities in Tamaulipas on highways within Mexico. Travel between Nuevo Laredo and Monterrey is limited to Federal Highway 85D during the day, with prior authorization. The Department of State [DOJ] travel advisory for Tamaulipas is Level 4: Do Not Travel Due to Crime and Kidnappings,” the Consulate insisted. “Actions to take: Stay alert, do not make unnecessary stops. Plan your trip during daylight hours. Monitor local media for updates. Stay aware of your surroundings. Inform your friends and family about your safety,” the U.S. diplomatic mission stated.

For his part, Geovanni Barrios Moreno, head of the Secretariat of Public Security, Transit, and Road Safety of Reynosa, Tamaulipas, warned citizens on the same day about the risk of traveling on the Monterrey-Reynosa Highway, especially between Cadereyta and Los Ramones, where at least six people have reportedly disappeared in recent days.