Tijuana

Defendants Accused of ‘Cartel Style' Kidnappings in Court

A pair of suspects involved in what police described as “cartel-style kidnappings” throughout the South Bay are now in custody facing multiple charges, according to the District Attorney’s office.

Prosecutors say the men kidnapped two juvenile victims on Aug. 31 from Del Sur Boulevard near Caithness Drive in San Ysidro.

San Diego police arrested the defendants Juan Amador and Victor Garcia last week.

Amador was arraigned Tuesday in court on suspicion of two counts of kidnapping, two counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm as well as possession of a controlled substance, which was methamphetamine, the prosecutor said.

He entered a not guilty plea. Garcia was arraigned Monday in the South Bay courthouse and also entered a not guilty plea.

Police said the investigation had some ties to addresses used in prior “kidnapping for ransom” cases in Chula Vista and the now-weakened Arellano Felix drug cartel in Tijuana.

A similar kidnapping occurred recently in Veteran’s Park in Chula Vista near 900 East Palomar, police said.

Chula Vista police said the victim reported suspects handcuffed him in the backseat of a white Volkswagen and left him at Veteran’s park. He told police he managed to escape by breaking the back seat window and crawling out of the car.

Police said a gun was recovered from the crime scene at Veteran’s park during the last week of August.

The victim, who was discovered bloodied and handcuffed, told police he had met some people he didn’t know at the park to smoke marijuana when he was attacked.

Police say there may be more suspects outstanding. Anyone with any information can call San Diego Police or Chula Vista Police.

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