Sonora newspaper El Imparcial reported that two SUVs were stolen at gunpoint from tourist families in the early morning of last Friday outside the Only Sonora station in the municipality of Empalme.
The tourists from the United States arrived at the station in the early morning hours of April 19 to get Only Sonora vehicle permits to visit Southern Sonora.
At approximately 6:00 a.m. a group of armed men arrived at the station and stole the SUVs, a Jeep Cherokee and a Lincoln Navigator, at gunpoint. Neither vehicle has been recovered.
Published reports described the robbery victims as “paisanos,” a term used to describe Mexicans who have legal residency in the U.S. and are visiting Mexico.
“Only Sonora” is a temporary vehicle importation program allows foreigners and Mexican nationals with foreign residency to obtain permits to take a vehicle into the areas of Sonora, Mexico not designated as a Free Trade Zone. Read more about Only Sonora.