A drug-related violent altercation at a beach club in Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico, on February 9 led to the tragic death of an American woman and a Belizean man. The incident is under thorough investigation by the Quintana Roo State Attorney General’s Office, throwing light on the continuing issue of drug cartel violence in popular tourist locations.
The American victim, 44-year-old Niko Honarbakhsh from Los Angeles, California, who was living in Cancun, Mexico, died from injuries caused by stray bullets. The Belizean male, whose body was found carrying substances consistent with drug trafficking such as cocaine, red and orange pills, and a brown powdery substance, also lost his life.
Authorities have negated any personal relationship between Honarbakhsh and the Belizean man, refuting initial media reports suggesting familiarity between the two.
Tulum, located close to Cancun, has seen a significant rise in drug cartel violence, shifting its reputation from a peaceful beach and historic Mayan ruins destination to a ground for lethal disputes. In 2021, a California-based travel blogger and a German tourist were unwillingly caught in a firefight between rival drug cartels while dining at a local restaurant.
In the wake of escalating threats, the United States has issued travel advisories urging its citizens to exercise heightened vigilance, especially after sunset, in Mexican Caribbean beach resorts like Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum. These advisories come in the aftermath of incidents involving serious injuries or deaths of Americans, including a March 2023 kidnapping episode involving tourists seeking cosmetic surgery, which resulted in multiple casualties. The kidnapping happened during a road trip and led to a drug cartel shootout. Two Americans were killed, and two were rescued from a remote region of the Gulf Coast after being held captive for several days. The victims were moved around the city by their captors to evade law enforcement. The Gulf Cartel is suspected to be behind these abductions.
