A family has publicly denounced being detained, intimidated, and physically assaulted by a group of unidentified men during a road trip along the Chihuahua–Ciudad Juárez highway, just a few kilometers before reaching Villa Ahumada.
According to the victim’s testimony, the terrifying incident took place on August 8 at approximately 3:50 p.m. while she was traveling in her personal vehicle accompanied by her husband and their two-year-old son.
The family stated that they still do not know who the armed men operating the unauthorized checkpoint were or whether they belonged to any official security corporation. The harrowing encounter began when the husband stepped out of the car to allow an inspection. Immediately, one of the men began aggressively interrogating him, demanding that he “hand over whatever illicit cargo he was hiding.” Despite the husband repeatedly insisting that they were carrying nothing illegal, the individual persisted with intimidation tactics, clearly attempting to extort money from them.
Refusing to yield to the pressure, the family watched as the men ransacked their vehicle, throwing their luggage and clothes onto the ground. The aggressors also forced the mother and her toddler out of the car, demanding the removal of the child’s safety seat. After roughly thirty minutes of unlawful detention, as the mother placed her upset child back into the vehicle, one of the men physically struck her husband in the ribs and stomach out of apparent frustration for failing to secure an extortion payout.
Following their release, the family confirmed structural damage to parts of their vehicle. Explaining the lack of photographic or video evidence, the mother emphasized that protecting her two-year-old son while surrounded by aggressive strangers was her absolute priority. The family announced they will officially file a formal complaint with state authorities to identify those responsible for the abuse of power, extortion attempt, and physical assault.
