FreightWatch issues warning following shootout in Mexico

A reported gun battle on Wednesday morning outside the town of Ojuelos in the central Mexican state of Jalisco has prompted a global transportation security firm to issue a warning urging truckers and shippers to beef up security. FreightWatch, a global supply chain and logistics firm, issued a press release Thursday, Dec. 5, recommending that drivers and carriers increase their vigilance and security measures. “FreightWatch recommends that all drivers and carriers increase vigilance in areas of higher risk,” the release stated. “Drivers are always recommended to find alternate routes in areas experiencing confrontation if possible. These confrontations could lead to road closures which can cause trucks to be stopped for several hours, increasing risk to the driver and the cargo.” According to reports, an armed confrontation between authorities and the Zeta cartel occurred in the early morning hours of Wednesday, Dec. 4, in Ojuelos. The cartel was found to have established a road block, with 10 pickup trucks and a vehicle transport trailer. The roadblock was set up just outside La Paz, Jalisco, on Highway 70 for the purpose of stealing vehicles entering or exiting the city of Ojuelos...more