US woman killed in the crossfire between rival drug gangs at a once-tranquil Mexican beach resort

An American woman was reportedly fatally shot amid crossfire after a drug deal went sour in the Mexican beach resort of Tulum, according to Fox News Digital. The U.S. State Department has put out a travel advisory for the area due to increased crime.

Niko Honarbakhsh, 44, was later identified as a Los Angeles native. Local reports tried to link the woman with an alleged drug dealer named Belize who was also killed in the incident, but investigators have dismissed these claims as unfounded.

The Quintana Roo State Attorney General's Office opened an investigation into the attack that took place on February 9. The alleged drug dealer who was killed had cocaine and "transparent bags with red and orange pills" inside, according to the report. He also had bags of "brown granulated powder" in his possession.

The New York Post reported that the suspects in the case had been identified and the authorities were searching for them. However, the police have not come forward with the suspects' names.

This is not the first time tourists in the area have been killed in drug-related crossfire. In 2021, travel blogger Anjali Ryot and German native Jennifer Henzold were killed while eating at a restaurant after getting stuck in the middle of gunfire between rival gangs in the area.

The U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory in August 2023 for several areas in Mexico.

Violent crime – such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery – is widespread and common in Mexico. The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in many areas of Mexico, as travel by U.S. government employees to certain areas is prohibited or restricted. In many states, local emergency services are limited outside the state capital or major cities.

U.S. citizens are advised to adhere to restrictions on U.S. government employee travel. State-specific restrictions are included in the individual state advisories below. U.S. government employees may not travel between cities after dark, may not hail taxis on the street, and must rely on dispatched vehicles, including app-based services like Uber, and regulated taxi stands. U.S. government employees should avoid traveling alone, especially in remote areas. U.S. government employees may not drive from the U.S.-Mexico border to or from the interior parts of Mexico, except daytime travel within Baja California and between Nogales and Hermosillo on Mexican Federal Highway 15D, and between Nuevo Laredo and Monterrey on Highway 85D.

Tulum was designated as an area with widespread crime. While Americans are not barred from visiting the once-tranquil beach resort, they are encouraged to exercise extreme caution.

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