LOS ANGELES, March 3 (UPI) -- The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has issued a strong warning urging college students to avoid two Mexican border towns.
"I know that spring break is a rite of passage for many college students," said John Torres, special agent in charge in Los Angeles. "However, I would discourage traveling to places like Tijuana and Rosarito due to drug cartel violence affecting those areas,"
Students who do visit Mexican towns along the border should follow U.S. State Department guidelines, Torres said. They include staying off highways after dark and remaining in tourist areas.
Rosarito Beach Mayor Hugo Torres took issue with the ATF warning.
"The violence we have had down here has been mainly between organized crime factions -- and we have had almost none of that recently," the mayor said. "Tourists are not and never have been targets."
Rosarito Beach has two major events scheduled in upcoming weeks -- a professional surfing competition from April 3 to April 5 and a Cinco de Mayo celebration.
