The first rule in business of any kind is: Never get involved with the any cartel. Not so much as for a shoelace or a stick of gum.
The second rule is: Never steal from a cartel.
The third: If you do steal from a cartel, you shut up about it, and you run away forever.
This unfortunate soul ignored all three:
A Texas man bragged about stealing money from a Mexican cartel and believed he was safe from retribution in the United States — but now he's missing, according to the FBI.
Erik Tadeo Ramirez was last seen trying to escape from a moving pickup truck as it crossed the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge in Laredo, Texas, according to a criminal complaint filed by the FBI.
It's a rare occasion when being apprehended by the FBI is the preferable outcome. When it comes to the psychopaths that run in cartels, you'd better be hoping that the FBI shows up at your house first.
Apparently Mr. Ramirez somehow came into ownership of $50,000 that belonged to the Cartel Del Noreste. He took it, after which he was observed at a party in Laredo "boastful[ly]" talking on the phone about the haul.
TWO HOURS LATER he was abducted by men with guns.
It cannot be overemphasized what a poor planner this guy was. He took fifty large from possibly one of the most ruthless criminal organizations on the planet, then he fled out of their criminal territory all of, what, three miles? Laredo is literally right next to Mexico and cartels have people there.
Still, we shouldn't be too hard on him. The dude doubtlessly got it bad. He might even be still going through it:
A March 24 video recording captured a man with a bloodied face in the passenger seat of a blue Dodge Ram with several other men at 1:09 a.m. He opens the door and tries to jump out, but the men grab him and pull him back inside, officials said in the complaint.
