Armed Abduction of Three Kino Bay Residents

A bulletin issued by Municipal Public Safety of Hermosillo reports that three residents of Kino Bay, Sonora were kidnapped on Monday night. Two were located several hours later, and the whereabouts of the other man are unknown.

At 9:10 p.m. on Monday, an armed group of three men arrived at the home of an elderly couple in downtown Bahía de Kino. They forced the couple, ages 64 and 66, and a 38-year-old man who was also in the house, to get into a late-model Dodge Durango.

The three were taken to an unknown location, and the couple was later released by the kidnappers.

A call to 911 at 6:35 a.m. the next morning reported that the two had been dropped off along a rural road to Miguel Alemán, and they were picked up by police.

The police bulletin noted that both of the elderly kidnap victims had been found with several bruises on various parts of their bodies. It did not mention any details regarding the whereabouts of the third kidnap victim.

Armed Vehicle Robbery at Empalme “Only Sonora” Station

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.

Police Commander Slain in Hermosillo

Local media reported that an Hermosillo municipal police commander was killed yesterday by gunfire in a vehicle on Villa Flores Street near his home in the Villa Dorada neighborhood of Hermosillo.

His children, ages 15 and 16, were traveling with him and were able to exit the vehicle to seek assistance. They were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

Commander César Alejandro García Medina oversaw police operations in Miguel Aleman with responsibility for the coast of Hermosillo, which includes Kino Bay. He had previously been the commander of a Tactical Operations Group in Hermosillo.

Witnesses reported that two vehicles were used in the assault, a Saturn and a Kia Sorento. The Sorento was found burned a few blocks away from the scene of the murder.

Several .223 and 9mm shells were recovered from the scene, and an investigation is ongoing.

The slaying follows an armed assault a week earlier, on April 15, in the tourism zone of San Carlos where a police officer was murdered and the tourism zone police commander was gravely injured by gunfire.

Rules for the October 2018 Puerto Lobos Fishing Tournament

The Sonoran coastal community of Puerto Lobos, Sonora, Mexico
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The Third Annual Puerto Lobos Fishing Tournament will be held on October 12 and 13, 2018 along the coast of Puerto Lobos, Sonora.

Following is an overview of the tournament rules. You can view and download the pdf containing the rules here (scroll down to page 2 of the document, the English rules are on the right side of the page).

Summary of Tournament Rules

The tournament is an individual competition, and registration is 600 pesos per person. All occupants of the boat must pay the registration, except for the captain of the boat, if he is not going to be fishing. If the captain will be fishing, then he must also pay the registration.

Registration will be held on October 12 in Puerto Lobos from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Representatives from the Sonora Sub-Secretary of Fishing will sell fishing permits at a booth next to the registration location.

Participants will only use a fishing rod, and only one rod per person is allowed. One extra rod per boat will be allowed.

Only trolling and bottom fishing are allowed. All fish species are accepted, except for species that are endangered or otherwise prohibited.

Competitors are expected to be civil to others. Any threats, vulgar language or other form of mistreatment directed at tournament organizers or competitors will be grounds for disqualification.

Boats will depart from the pier at 6:00 a.m. and must return by 4:00 p.m. The tournament director reserves the right to modify tournament hours based on weather conditions.

The fishing area will be the entire Sea of Cortez area around Puerto Lobos. All boats will have a number assigned and will depart from the pier. Boats will be inspected before leaving and upon their return.

The tournament winner will be the person who lands the heaviest fish. In the case of a tie, the first-weighed fish will win.

Fish may be submitted for weighing throughout the day. The weigh scale judge will give the competitor a weight ticket, and it is the responsibility of the competitor to verify that the time and weight listed on the ticket are correct.

More info about the Fishing Tournament, other events and lodging information

PDF of tournament rules

Puerto Lobos October 2018 Fishing Tournament
The beach at Desemboque, Sonora, Mexico

Third Annual Fishing Tournament in Puerto Lobos

The Sonoran coastal community of Puerto Lobos, Sonora, Mexico
Español

Loads of Activities for a Beautiful October Weekend on the Coast

Get ready for a weekend of sun and beautiful weather for the third annual Puerto Lobos Fishing Tournament on October 13, 2018 in Puerto Lobos, Caborca, Sonora. And in addition to great fishing, there will be activities for bicyclists, 4×4 desert drivers and motorcycle and sand drag enthusiasts.

Open registration for the tourney goes until 8:00 p.m. on Friday, October 12, and the fishing begins at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday. Awards will be presented at 5:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon.

Other Saturday events include:

A “Paseo Ciclista,” a bicycle ride along the coast from Desemboque to Puerto Lobos that starts at 8:00 a.m.

A 4×4 off-road run through the desert from Caborca to Puerto Lobos that starts at 9:00 a.m. and

Sand drags at Playa Blanca beach in Puerto Lobos starting at 4:00 p.m.

And the Filibusteros de Caborca motorcycle club will have a motorcycle exhibition starting at 5:00 p.m.

For more information, call +52 (637) 372-3344, send an email or contact us.

Tournament Rules

Hotel Reservations

Make your reservations now, while rooms are still available.

In Desemboque (a short drive from Puerto Lobos)

Hotel Playa Dorada
On the beach in Desemboque
Request a reservation
+52 1 (637) 115-0357

In Caborca (a 45-minute drive to Puerto Lobos)

Caborca Lodging

Important Tourism Safety Note

The August 2018 State Department travel advisory recommended highway 37 between Caborca and Puerto Peñasco as a safe travel route for U.S. government employees and tourists. Highway 37 connects Caborca to the coastal communities of Desemboque and Puerto Lobos.

Puerto Lobos October 2018 Fishing Tournament
The beach at Desemboque, Sonora, Mexico

August 2018 Updates to State Department Sonora Travel Advisory

Current Warnings and Advisories for Sonora, Mexico

Further Travel Restrictions and Additional Information for Visiting Border Cities

The United States Department of State twice updated its Sonora Travel Advisory in August 2018.

One constant with previous travel advisories is that Sonora still has a Level 3 travel advisory rating (Reconsider Travel, due to crime). And as always, the travel advisories are directed at U.S. government employees traveling in Sonora, with the understanding that the prohibitions and guidance are also recommendations for U.S. tourists and other travelers to the state of Sonora, Mexico.

The first update on August 18 prohibited U.S. government employees from visiting locations south of Hermosillo, to include Alamos, Empalme, Guaymas and San Carlos. It also details two highway routes that government employees can drive during the day, including a highway route from Nogales to Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point). The advisory also added specific restrictions for government employees who visit Nogales, Mexico. Read more details and analysis from the August 18, 2018 State Department Sonora Travel Advisory.

On August 22 the State Department added information and restrictions regarding travel to San Luis Rio Colorado, Agua Prieta and Cananea. Read more details.

U.S. government employees are no longer allowed to visit Playa Miramar beach in Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico

Text of the Current State Department Travel Advisory for Sonora, Mexico:

Sonora state – Level 3: Reconsider Travel

Reconsider travel due to crime. Sonora is a key location used by the international drug trade and human trafficking networks. However, northern Sonora experiences much lower levels of crime than cities closer to Sinaloa and other parts of Mexico. U.S. government employees visiting Puerto Peñasco may use the Lukeville/Sonoyta crossing, and are required to travel during daylight hours on Federal Highway 8. U.S. government employees may also travel to Puerto Peñasco from Nogales by using Federal Highway 15 south and east via Federal Highway 2 and State Highway 37 through Caborca during daylight hours. U.S. government employees may travel between the cities of Nogales and Hemosillo, however, travel is restricted to daylight hours and only on Federal Highway 15 through Imuris, Magdalena, and Santa Ana.

U.S. government employees are prohibited from travel to:

  • The triangular region west of the Mariposa port-of-entry, east of Sonoyta, and north of Altar.
  • The district within Nogales that lies to the north of Ayenida Instituto Tecnologico and between Periferico and Corredor Fiscal, and the residential areas to the east of Plutarco Elias Calles. U.S. government employees are not permitted to use taxi services in Nogales, but bus travel is permitted. Movement around the city after dark is by vehicle only. U.S. government employees should avoid El Centro and all night clubs after 10:00 p.m.
  • The eastern edge of the state of Sonora, which borders the state of Chihuahua (all points along that border east of Federal Highway 17, the road between Moctezuma and Sahuaripa, and state Highway 20 between Sahuaripa and the intersection with Federal Highway 16).
  • San Carlos, Guaymas, Empalme, and all points south of Hermosillo via Federal Highway 15.

Travel of U.S. government employees to the following cities is permitted with the noted restrictions:

  • San Luis Rio Colorado: U.S. government employees must travel during daylight hours through the San Luis, Arizona port-of-entry and may not travel beyond the city limits.
  • Cananea: U.S. government employees must travel during daylight hours through the Naco, Arizona port-of-entry and along Route 2 to Cananea, including the Cananea mine, and may not travel beyond the city limits.
  • Agua Prieta: U.S. government employees must travel during daylight hours through the Douglas, Arizona port-of-entry and may not travel beyond the city limits.