The source provides an extensive overview of the extreme violence and disappearances occurring on Highway 85D, a critical trade route connecting Monterrey and Nuevo Laredo in Mexico. This stretch, frequently called the "Highway of Death," has witnessed a severe resurgence in abductions, murders, and massacres since 2020, primarily driven by cartel turf wars between groups like the Northeast Cartel (CDN) and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). The episode explains that the highway is a microcosm of Mexico's national crisis of enforced disappearances, documenting over 200 vanishings in recent years, including U.S. citizens, migrants, and families. The article explores the history of violence on this corridor, the cartels' methods of erasure (including extermination centers), and the desperate efforts of search collectives (colectivos) who seek justice amid widespread impunity. Ultimately, the source frames the highway as a symbol of the Mexican state’s failure to protect its citizens from organized crime, with implications extending to international trade and border security.

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