Kidnappings, threats and ‘protection fees’: how can Mexico confront rise in deadly extortion?

Key points

• It was about 11pm and Luis* was about to get into an Uber to go home when the police car pulled up.
• One of the officers produced two plastic bags with what looked like drugs: one contained some sort of powder, the other little crystals.
• Luis had never seen them before.
• Luis, who asked not to use his real name for fear of reprisals, insisted that the drugs weren’t his, but the officers didn’t seem to care.
• They shoved him into the back of the police truck and drove into the night.